The Two of Us Against the World Part 1: The Dynamic Duo
by LaciePanda
Summary: What if Sherlock and John had meet when they were young? This is the story of Sherlock and John as they grow and face the world. Part 1 of 'The Two of Us Against the World' series. Kid!Lock.
1. First Impressions

Sherlock stared out the car window and watched the world fly by as his brother sat across from him with a smug smile.

"Sherlock, at least TRY and make this one work. This is the fourth school we've tried, if you get asked to leave this one I'll have to buy you a tutor and home school you."  
Sherlock just rolled his eyes, it wasn't his fault all the other kids were idiots, or if the teacher was cheating on her husband with the principal. Sherlock just hoped the kids at this school left him alone, under no circumstances did Sherlock want to be home schooled. The house was too quiet, but at the same time too loud. All the little noises, the stairs creaking, the air in the venting system, and the quietness that reminded him that his dog, Einstein, was no longer alive, all seemed to be shouting at him. Plus it would give Mycroft even more chances to annoy him.

The first school they went to was Mycroft's school, Sherlock envied him. He would do anything to be able to go to a school where they ACTUALLY learned important stuff, rather than learning how to spell words he already knew. But his mother felt that Sherlock needed to 'socialize' with his peers first. So here he was, standing in front of his new school holding his mother's hand praying that the other kids would leave him alone.

They walked down the halls till they came to the classroom with a blue door. "Here we are," Mrs. Holmes said, she bent down to look her son straight in the eye while she fixed his shirt. "Now remember Sherlock, be nice to the other kids, be respectful to your teacher and please, try to keep your deductions to yourself."

"Yes Mummy."

Mrs. Holmes knocked on the door which was opened by a middle aged woman. "Yes, how can I help you?"

"Hi, I'm Mrs. Holmes and this is my son Sherlock, I was told this is his new classroom."

The woman looked down to her clipboard and scanned through all the names on it. "Ah yes! I was told we had a newcomer! Please to meet you! Why don't you come on in and meet your new classmates!"  
The woman was plump, but not overweight; she had ginger hair which was tied up into a small bun. She was short which gave her a friendly appearance, but she had a stare that cold chill you to your bones.

As usual, all the other kids were busy playing and talking, too busy to notice the new comer. As the school bell rang and few more kids came into the room, but besides them everyone else was already playing and making new friends.

* * *

Sherlock scanned over the room; he walked over and put his bag down next to a chair in the back of the classroom. He sat in the chair and pulled out his notebook and began writing in it. While most kids would doodle in their notebooks Sherlock would write down his deductions and observations. Sherlock had learned in Kindergarten about his ability to deduce people.

Although he could tell things like if someone was having an affair or if you had eaten today or not, his older brother Mycroft was much better at it than him. His brother could tell if he had done his homework or not, he could tell whether or not a kid at school were poking fun at him or not, and Sherlock hated him for this. Not because his brother was better at deducing than him, but because he would use it for his own advantage.

As Sherlock grew older he never realized how much trouble his deductions really got him into. His mother had always encouraged him about it and would sometimes go as far to test him. It wasn't until one night at dinner Sherlock asked his father if 'his lady friend' was coming over after bedtime that he saw the consequences his deductions caused. His parents were divorced soon after that and him, his mother and Mycroft moved to London.

After about the second school Sherlock got kicked out of, his mother gave him a notebook for him to write down his deductions in.

* * *

"Hey! I'm Sally!"

Sherlock looked up at the girl in front of him. She had dark skin, brown curly hair and brown eyes, she wore a pink dress covered with flowers.

"Hello, I'm Sherlock." Sherlock answered back, he quickly turned back to his notebook and began to write down everything he noticed about the girl.

_Ate cereal and drink Orange juice this morning for breakfast, is right handed, has made a few friends, has trouble tying her shoes sometimes-_

"What are you writing?" Sally asked as he tried to get a peek at the notebook. Sherlock nearly cringed when she asked, he sighed and accepted the fact that he would probably never made many friends anyways.

"My observations."

"Of what?"

"You."

Sally gave a puzzled look then snatched up the notebook. "Hey!" Sherlock yelled as he tried to take the book back, but Sally held it out of reach. As Sally read the notebook she became angry, "I can too tie my shoes!"

"I never said you couldn't, I just said you have trouble sometimes-"

"Lier!"

"No I'm not!"

"You are too!"

"No! You're just too stupid to admit you have trouble sometimes!"

"I'm telling! Mrs. Bray! Sherlock said I'm stupid!" Sally yelled from across the room, all the kids stopped and turned to stare at Sally as she pointed towards Sherlock.

"Alright, what happened you two!" Mrs. Bray said as she walked over to the two. "Sherlock called me stupid and said I don't know how to tie my own shoes!"

"No! I said you have trouble sometimes tying your shoes sometimes and that you're too stupid to admit it!"

"Sherlock, there shall be no name calling in my classroom! Do you understand?"

"Yes Mrs. Bray..."

"Good, now Sally, you go sit over there by Peterson Anderson, and Sherlock you say you're sorry to Sally, alright?"

Sherlock glared at Sally and gave an annoyed sigh. "Sorry Sally, but give me back my book!"

Sally rolled her eyes and threw the book back at Sherlock. The book hit Sherlock, and then fell on the ground. As Sherlock picked it up he looked to see his other class mates snickering from their seats.

* * *

At recess, Sherlock sat alone on the swings, although, to say he 'sat' would be a lie. Sherlock was lying on the swings with his stomach while he looked down at the ground where he put his notebook. He was reading over the notes he had written about his first day at the last school and comparing them to this morning, when a boy came over and sat in the swing next to him.

"What are you reading?"

"My notebook."

"What do you keep notes of?"

"Everything."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Are they important?"

Sherlock looked over to the boy next to him; he had blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. He was a few inches shorter than Sherlock and had a brace around his leg. "Why do you want to know?"

"Umm...I don't know..."

Sherlock returned to his notes and the boy began swinging. "I'm John by the way, John Watson."

John turned to the boy next to him when he didn't answer back. "Well...What's your name?"

"Sherlock Holmes."

Opened his mouth to speak again but stopped when Sherlock got up and took a pencil from behind his ear and began writing in his book. Sherlock stopped writing for a moment, looked at John, and then continued writing. "How did you get it?"

"Get what?"

"That brace around your leg, you weren't born with leg problems so you got it quite recently, so how did you get it?"

"I was in car crash a week ago...sorry but, how did you know I didn't have leg problems?"

Sherlock stared at John, John stared back. Sherlock was batting around inside his head whether or not he should tell John. John seemed like a nice person, which was the problem, nice people were always mean to Sherlock. With a sigh, Sherlock reluctantly explained it to John.

"Most children who are born with leg problems have a hard time getting their leg to function the way they _think_ it should work. You seem to know how you leg already works so it's just a matter of getting your leg to do as you wish. If you were born with leg problems you should be use to a brace by now, but you're not, it feels different and new. Also, many child with braces are shy, because they are worried they will be judged, but you aren't, because you know once your leg heals the brace will come off."

John stared wide-eyed and jaw-dropped, "That-"

_Here it comes..._ Sherlock though,

"Was amazing!"

"You really think so?"

"Yeah! It was brilliant!"


	2. Little and Broken, but Still Good

It was after school and Sherlock, John and all the other kids were waiting for their parents to come pick them up. A black car with tinted windows pulled up. "That's my ride..." Sherlock said as he began to walk towards the car.

"Bye Sherlock! See you tomorrow!" John said as he waved to his new friend. Sherlock stopped in his tracks and turned to wave back at John, "Bye! Tomorrow then!"

As Sherlock climbed into the car he found it was the family driver, Scot Wilson, who was driving rather than his mother. Mrs. Holmes had a rather busy life, which is why she always tried to pick her children up and bring them home. But that only ever seemed to happen once every two weeks, if she was lucky.

"Where's mummy?" Sherlock asked as he buckled himself into the seat.

"She had an unexpected appointment come up, she sends her regards and says she will see you when she returns later on this evening."

_More like later tonight_ Sherlock thought.

"She also wishes me to remind you that you are visiting your father this weekend."

Sherlock gave a very audible groan, this weekend he was going to experiment with a dead bird he found in the garden. He had to wait to do the experiment because the bird had to already be in the decomposing stage. A very small spot in him felt even sadder because he was considering asking John to join him. Well, at least that means Sherlock couldn't scare him off and he would have a friend for a little while longer.

* * *

In the Watson family car, Mrs. Penelope Watson had already picked up Harriet, John's older sister, and John and they were on their way home. "Did you have a nice day at school John?"

"Yeah! I even made a new friend! His name is Sherlock, and he can see things other people can't see-"

"Mum, can you pick me up some hairspray at the store?" Harry asked as she texted a friend on her phone.

"MUM! Harry interrupted me!" John yelled as he accused his sister.

"Not uh!"

Yeah uh!"

"Shut it John!"

"Now John, Harry, no fighting, remember what your doctor said John, nothing too exciting. It's not good for your leg-"

"Damn my leg!"

Both Mrs. Watson's and Harry's jaws dropped. "John Hamish Watson! What have told you about using those awful words!?"

John opened his mouth to defend himself, but Penelope beat him to it. "I don't care if your father using those words or not! You are not too use those words again! Am I understood?"

"Yes Ma'am..."

As John and Harry jumped out of the car and run inside the house, Penelope Watson shook her head. She would have to speak with her husband about using curses in front of his son. Yes, Harry and John were Mr. Watson's children, not her's. It made her sad to see them; she ever so wanted children of her own. But Clint had made it very clear that he didn't want children, not for a while, at least that's what Penelope hoped.

The first Mrs. Watson, Clara, had died soon after John's birth. Apparently, the poor girl was too fragile and weak to give birth and it was a miracle John had lived. Ever since Clara's death Clint had been cold and cruel to John, and even went as far as blaming him for his wife's death. It had taken a total of 5 years for Clint to get over his wife's death, and then he almost immediately married Penelope.

Harriet had adjusted to Penelope quite well, and one day, on Harry's birthday, Penelope took Harry out shopping, that was the first time Harry called her 'Mum'.

John, on the other hand, was a completely different story. He had only seen pictures of his mother and from them proclaimed her to be 'the most beautiful person who ever lived'. Once he meet Penelope he almost immediately took a disliking towards her, and it became even worse once he realized that this woman was here to stay. Ever since the car accident John and Penelope had grown closer, not as close as Penelope would like, but closer none the less.

John still had his moments when he wanted nothing to do with the woman, but every so often, John would let his guard down around her.

As Penelope got closer to the house she heard John yell,

_Oh God...he's home already..._

* * *

Sherlock sat on a stool in the kitchen as he waited for some water to boil he was using for an experiment. As he waited he was reading a couple books. Sherlock had never had friend before, so he had no idea what he was suppose to do with one. And when Sherlock didn't know something, there were only two opinions, research it, or ask Mycroft.

Sherlock had gone into the family library and had looked for any books he could find on 'friendship', he even went as far as to look up the definition in a dictionary.

friend·ship

ˈfrendˌSHip/

_noun_

noun: **friendship**

**1**.

the emotions or conduct of friends; the state of being :relationship, close relationship, attachment, mutual attachment, association, bond, tie, link, union.

As he looked around he even found a book called _"Faithful John"_.

After about two hours of searching he had a general idea of what friendship was, but he still had no idea what he was suppose to do now that he had it. Only opinion left: Ask Mycroft.

So there Sherlock, reading "_Faithful John" _In his kitchen while waiting for Mycroft to come down. Mycroft at the moment was upstairs in his study doing homework. Sherlock had done his on the way home and was now starting to get board.

Finally, after waiting for what felt like hours, Mycroft came down looking for a snack. "MYYYYYYCROOOOOFT!" Sherlock yelled as soon as he heard the stairs creek when his brother put his foot down on the first step. Mycroft sighed, why did he always have to play babysitter? Why couldn't his mother hire someone?

Mycroft entered the kitchen with a sigh, "What is it Sherlock?"

"What do you do with a friend?"

"Why do you want to know? You don't have any friends!"

"Yes I do! His name is John!"

"Ha! That's rich! You've got an imaginary friend!"

"He's real you idiot!"

"Ha! You wish!"

"HE IS TOO REAL!"

"Just tell me why you want to know..."

"Cause, I wanted him to come over and...I didn't know what to do..."

"Play games, watch movies, talk about girls,tell secrets, talk about your interest, I don't know!" All the while Mycroft got a piece of chocolate cake and went back upstairs to his room.

Sherlock took in this information and began to try and plan for a...'playdate'...with John. But it would have wait for some time, cause right now he made an even bigger problem.

He had to plan for his 'visit' with his father.


	3. Our Monsters

Penelope ran into the house to find her husband home, drunk, and tower over John. John was lying on the floor with a red mark on his face. He was struggling to get back up.

"Get up you wimp!"

"Clint-"

"Stay out of this Penelope! He'll never learn to be a man if he can't even carry himself!"

"He's only a kid Clint-"

"I SAID STAY OUT OF THIS!"

So Penelope back away with tears in her eyes, she walked away to find Harry to make sure she hadn't already got beaten. When she did find Harry she found her hugging her knees while crying on the couch. "Oh dear...I'm so sorry Honey..." Penelope said as he sat down and hugged the scared girl. "He's only a kid mom...Just barely a baby..."

"I know dear..." She said as she kissed her daughter's head. "Come on...Why don't you come into the kitchen and help me make dinner." Harry nodded and walked with her mother's arm draped over her shoulders.

When Penelope and Harry heard Clint stomp upstairs into his room they rushed out to find John lying on the floor. His shirt was ripped and his trousers were starting to wear out. He had red marks all over his body, some of them ready to burst with blood. His hair was a complete mess and he had a black eye.

"Oh...John, please, let me help yo-"

John batted away Penelope's hand, "I don't want your help! If you wanted to help me you would have-" John stopped mid-sentence. He didn't trust his voice, he felt like his throat had just collapsed. He rose to his feet, and in a swaying motion walked up the stairs taking them one-by-one till he finally go to the top and went to his room and quietly shut his door.

Mrs. Watson covered her eyes as she felt her tears about to fall. She wanted this to stop, but she knew she could never stand up to Clint. She felt like this enter thing was her fault.

_Maybe if I had been a better wife he wouldn't take his anger out on his own kids. Maybe if I just had the courage to call for help. Maybe if I-_

She stopped herself knowing that 'Maybe If's' were not going to change anything. No matter what she did, even if she did leave, she would always feel like a slave to her husband. No, that man was certainly not her husband. That was the man who had destroyed her husband. That was not the man she had fall in love with, that was not the man who had taken her away on a beach vacation then proposed to her on their last night as they gazed up at the stars above the sea.

No, that man was gone, and replaced with this monster.

* * *

Sherlock sat on a stool in his room slouched over poking the dead bird with a pen completely bored out of his mind. The bird was still not yet at the decoying stage, he needed it to be at for his experiment. He already had figured out 10 different ways he could sneak out of his room and get into his brother's room without Mycroft noticing, but he really didn't feel like doing any of them right now.

Thanks to the news about having to visit his father Sherlock had gotten into one of his 'moods'. He got up and threw himself down onto his bed. He wondered what most kids did when they got home from school.

Do their homework...Did that,

Talk to their sibling...Did that,

Read books?...Did that,

Normally Sherlock would do an experiment, but his chemist set was being cleaned out at the moment. His violin lessons wasn't until Sunday...(_I should probably tell father that my teacher will coming over sometime in morning...naaahh_)

He walked up and looked out his window; the gardener was putting in some flowers in the garden, so he couldn't go there. And mother had said that today some men were coming by to put some type of new fertilizer on their grass so Sherlock wasn't allowing to play in the yard at the moment.

Then Sherlock remembered something.

Sherlock got up and ran out of his room, ran down the stairs and out the back door in the kitchen. He walked along the walk-way in their garden till he came in view of their gardener. Then he bolted across the yard, he was lucky they hadn't gotten to the back yard and were putting the fertilizer in the front yard. He ran to the edge of the yard and stopped when he came to where the forest met their yard. As quiet was possible, he walked into the forest until he was sure no-one was looking. He kept running until he came to giant tree in the middle of a clearing on the top of a hill. Near the top of the tree was a Treehouse, this was where Sherlock would hide when things would become too much for him and he wanted to escape.

His father had helped him build the treehouse when he was four years old. It was a secret spot that only he and father knew about. The treehouse had a rope ladder which led up to door on the bottom of the treehouse. Now the door could be locked from the inside by a latch, but Sherlock would never lock unless he was up inside of it and did not want to be disturbed.

Inside the treehouse were all of Sherlock's secrets, on one wall it was covered with his drawings. There were pictures of Pirates, one of his dog Einstein, one of his family, and one of him and boy. The boy had no name, but Sherlock loved this picture the best. Why? Because, all his other pictures where of things he had once but were taken away from him. Once when Mycroft saw him pretending to be a pirate and laughed at him, Sherlock promised himself that he would never play pirate again (But he played it many more times in his treehouse in secret). The picture of the boy was the one thing he had that no-one could take away from him, because he never had him to start with.

* * *

-2 years ago-

_"Hey Sher, what are you doing up their all by yourself?"_

_"Mycroft made fun of me for being a pirate..." Sherlock yelled down from one of the windows of the treehouse. Tears were burning behind his eyes, threatening to fall._

_"That wasn't very nice of him, how bout I talk to him later, K?"_

_"Alright...but I'm still not coming down!"_

_"Sherlock..."_

_"I don't wanna! Being a pirate is silly anyways..."_

_Elliot Holmes sighed and put his hands on his hips, "Now Sherlock, that's not true. Now you come down or else!"_

_"Or else what!?"_

_Elliot took out a plastic swore from his side, "Why don't you find out!?"_

_Sherlock smiled and soon came rushing out of the treehouse with his own sword and soon was fighting against him dad. "Avast ye scurvy dog! Now ye shall face the wrath of Pirate Captain Bones Holmes!"_

_"Arrr that be true, but first ye has to beat me!" Their sounds of their laughter and clashes filled the air as their swung their swords at each other. Neither one of them had a care in the world._

_Elliot Holmes would later speak with his son Mycroft and make him apologize to Sherlock and then when their father was not looking they would stick their tongues out at each other. Then when their mother would catch them Mycroft would point his finger at Sherlock saying he did it first, then Sherlock would deduce the fact that Mycroft had been bring Chocolate Cake up to his room every night that past week cheating on his diet their mother had put him on. _

_And for one moment everything was perfect._


	4. Not Too Soon

The next day at school Sherlock sat at what he decided would be his usual desk. As the other children came slowly pouring in, Sherlock began deducing them. He grabbed out his notebook and started scribbling down what he noticed about everyone.

"Hey Freak!"

Sherlock looked up to see a boy standing in front of him. Sherlock had seen him yesterday on the playground, but didn't care enough to get his name. As Sherlock looked over the boy's shoulder he saw Sally, a named Mike and another boy who Sherlock didn't see a point in remembering his name, all standing by a desk looking over watching the boy in front of Sherlock. They all had smirks on their faces and were snickering.

"Sally over there told me that you had some kind of gift, is that so?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "No, it's not a gift; anyone can do it really, if they weren't so stupid that is."

"Oh yeah? And what is 'gift'?"

"I can...deduce."

"de- what?"

"Deduce, I can...Know things about you by how you look, how talk, how you-"

"Just shut up and get on with it!"

Sherlock was dumbfounded for a moment, this boy...Wanted Sherlock to deduce him? Something like a small seed of hope slowly grew in Sherlock's chest. Maybe this boy would accept him; maybe he'd want to be his friend even! Sherlock glanced over the boy and tried to get every detail he could, he would do anything to impress them, show them they were wrong about them!

"Your mother dropped you off this morning; she fixed your shirt before she left. I can tell because first off, there is a lipstick stain on your cheek, and I highly doubt any of the girls in here are wearing any lipstick, let alone would actually want to kiss you. For breakfast this morning you had toast, there are still come crumbs of it still on your trousers. You also cheated yesterday in during math time, firstly I saw you peek over at Sally desk, secondly even if I hadn't seen that I could tell you had because when you came in you were nervous, I heard you asking Sally what answers she put down and then you'd take out the calculator and type it in to see if she was correct. You kept getting mad because you realized that you had gotten most of the questions wrong and-"

"You liar!" The boy shouted leaning forward as he slammed his hands on Sherlock's desk. "No I'm not! You clearly-"

The boy smacked Sherlock across the face, leaving a bright red hand-shaped mark on Sherlock's cheek. "HEY!" Everyone turned around to see that John Watson had just been dropped off. "You leave Sherlock alone! I'm telling Mr. Mattews you hit him!"

"Go ahead! You can't prove anything!"

"Carl Powers and John Watson, what is going on over here!?" Mr. Mattews, the classroom helper, heard a loud commotion coming from his classroom and hurried in to see what the fuss was about. When he came into the room he saw Carl Powers and John Watson fighting in front of Sherlock Holmes's desk.

"Mr. Mattews! Carl smacked Sherlock across the face! I saw it as I walked into the classroom!"

"Not'ah! John is lying! He hit Holmes! I told him to stop but he wouldn't listen!" Mr. Mattews looked over at Sherlock to see him holding his red cheek lightly, careful not to put too much pressure on it. "Sherlock, tell me what happened."

"Carl-" Sherlock stopped and looked up to see Carl glaring at him, just daring him to speak up. "Hit me..." he finished.

"NOT'AH! John threaten him to say that!"

"I did not! Look see! Carl's hand matching the mark on Sherlock's face!" John grabbed Carl's hand brought it up to Sherlock's face, the two matched perfectly. "See! Mine's too small!" Then John brought up his own smaller hand."

"Thank you John," Said Mr. Mattews, "I'll take it from here." Then Mr. Mattews grabbed Carl by the hand and led him out of the classroom. "We shall start once I return." And with that he left and took Carl out of the room.

Once they left, John turned to Sherlock. "Are you alright?"

Sherlock gave a small smile and nodded, still holding his cheek. "Let me see." John said, he pushed Sherlock's hand away and inspected the mark. "It doesn't look too bad. It looks like it's starting to swell; I think we should ask Mr. Mattews for some ice-"

Sherlock looked over to Sally and her group of friend still snickering. "No."

John shifted his eyes to lock with Sherlock, "What? Why not?"

"I fine, really."

John nodded, and took his seat next to Sherlock. "Alright, just be sure to tell someone if it starts to hurt."

Sherlock gave a small giggle, "Yes Doctor Watson!" John joined in the giggle, but they both soon quieted down when Mr. Mattews returned.

* * *

Sherlock and John sat on the swing set as they did the day before (Well, Sherlock was back to laying on his stomach while going over his observations).

"Hey Sherlock," John said as he watched the other kids playing on the play set or kicking a ball around. "Yes John?"

"We should plan a...play-date..."

Sherlock looked up, he wouldn't admit it, but he was think of asking John about the exact same thing. "Okay, so, whose house?"

"Well..." John began, "My sister is having her friend over after school today, so maybe I should go over your house."

Sherlock froze, than quickly sat up. "I don't know...My mom still isn't home, and my brother is really annoying..."

"What about your dad?"

Sherlock stared at John, should he tell him? They'd only known each other for about two days, wouldn't that be too soon? Then again, John did stand up for Sherlock this morning, maybe...

"My dad doesn't live with us..."

John's eyes went wide, "Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't know!"

"It's okay, like you said, you didn't know."

Sherlock lay back down onto his stomach and went back to looking at his notebook. As John stared out at the other kids he began to think, maybe his dad would let Sherlock come over, and maybe his father wouldn't think he was such a mess up if he showed him his friend, maybe-

"I suppose it should be okay if you came over. My older brother should be home and bale to watch us. And...There's a possibility that my mom could be home. She was supposed to come home last night but she got caught up with some work, so she might be home right by now."

John gave a huge grin, "Okay! I'll give my mom a call! I can ask Mrs. Greggory if I can call her!"

Sherlock grinned at this, although he really didn't want John to meet his family. Although, it would be nice to have some fun before he has to go visit his father.

Maybe, it would be nice.


	5. The Holmes Manor

Phone calls were made and plans were decided, John would spend the night at Sherlock's house then go to school with him the next day to school. Penelope Watson stopped by the school to drop off John's things on her way to the store.

"Now be good for Mr. And Mrs. Holmes, I don't want to get a phone call asking for me to come pick you up earlier, got that young man?"

"Yes Ma'am."

Mrs. Watson nodded and bent down to kiss John on the top of his head. "Mooom!" John protested.

"So where's your friend, Sherlock was it?"

"It was his day to help clean up afterword, he should be out soon."

Sherlock came out a few moments later with his backpack on and notebook under his arm. "There he is!" John said as he raised his arm to point out Sherlock. Mrs. Watson looked to where John was pointing, a young boy about John's age but a little taller was coming out with his things.

"Hey Sherlock!" John said about to run over to his friend but only to be stopped by Mrs. Watson. "John, do remember about your leg! I don't want you hurting it more than it already is!"

John only rolled his eyes in response and waved his hand in the air to get Sherlock's attention. Sherlock saw his friend and his mother waiting for him and ran over.

_Not John's biological mother, stressed, works as a nurse...Not in a loving marriage. _

_Opinion A: Tell him about deductions. _

_Reaction: Negative_

_Opinion B: Write it in notebook and do not speak to John about it._

_React: Positive_

"Hello Sherlock! I'm-"

"You're John's Step-mother, you married John's dad at more two years ago. You were on your way to the store but stopped only to drop John's clothes off. At the store you plan to buy Milk, bread, cheese, juice and I believe some bandages and other items."

"See! I told you he was brilliant!"

"How- how did you know all that stuff?"

"You don't look like John at all, but I thought maybe John just looked like his dad, but then I saw your wedding ring, it looker newer but there are a couple of marks on it, so you've haven't been married long, but long enough to put some marks on the ring. From that I knew you most certainly were not John's real mother. I figured you were only here to drop John's clothes off because it was on the way to the store, otherwise you would have dropped it off later. I knew you were on your way to the store and what items you wanted to get because your list is sticking out of your pocket."

John's face beamed with pride in a 'See-I-told-you!' kind of way. Mrs. Watson looked down to see her list was indeed sticking half-way out of her pocket.

"You're pretty bright you know that?"

Sherlock looked over to see a black car with tinted windows pull up. The driver got out of the car and walked over to where Sherlock was.

"Afternoon Mr. Holmes, regretfully Mrs. Holmes has not returned yet. She did inform me that she would be returning this evening and that we would be housing a guest for the night." With those last words he turned he sunglasses cover stare towards John.

"Alright, thank you Mr. Wilson. You ready John!?" Sherlock turned to his friend who had grabbed onto Mrs. Watson leg, nervous under Mr. Wilson stare. John stared back at Mr. Wilson and nodded frantically.

Mrs. Watson took John's school backpack and replaced it with the one from his house. "Now be good John, and remember if your leg starts to bother you, please call!"

"Yes mom!" John called out as he and Sherlock to climb into the car.

Penelope Watson put her hand to her heart that was the first time John had ever called her 'mom'.

John's jaw dropped and eyes nearly popped out of his sockets. "This is your house!?"

Sherlock simply looked up and nodded, "It's been in our family for generations, at least that's my mom told me." Now it was John's turn to only nod. He could have sworn he could fit three of his houses into Sherlock's house! Although you could tell the structure was old, the manor still seemed to have a shine about it.

The inside of the manor was just (Or perhaps more) beautiful as the outside. "Come on John, my room this way!" Sherlock led John up a flight of stairs and down the west hall and stopped in front of white door. Sherlock's was unlike most boys Sherlock's age, which was to be expected of him. Most boys Sherlock's had fairly cleaned rooms that would be cleaned by their mothers. Sherlock's room looked as though no-one had ever cleaned it. Ever.

As John and Sherlock climbed onto Sherlock's bed they kicked their shoes off. "Do you like, have servants and stuff?"

"A few, there's Scot Wilson, out driver. There's Lily Marbles, our cook and her helper, Dina. And our gardener Tobias Anderson."

"Oh...Umm...Sherlock, could um...Could show me where the loo is?"

Sherlock nodded and hopped off the bed with John in tow. "Right down there." He said as he pointed to a door not far away from Sherlock's door.

"Thanks!" John said and ran towards the door.

Sherlock decided that while John was using the loo he would grab them some snack. He opened the fridge to see what food they had. "Why hello Sherlock, and what brings you to my domain?" Said Mrs. Marbles who was putting some cleaning fluids away. "I was looking for some food for me and my friend."

"Friend!? Why Sherlock, why didn't you tell me you brought home a guest! Now I have to set the table for four. I'm guessing you'll want him to sit next to yo-"

"Why four?"

"Why four? Didn't you hear? Your mum returned home this afternoon she-"

"Mummy's back!?"

"Why yes, she got home-"

But before she could say another word Sherlock ran back up the stairs and back to his room. Inside his room he found John had already gotten back and was nervously looking around the room. "Oh! Sherlock! There you are! I got worry when I came back and-"

"Do you mind eating with my family?"

"Huh?"

"My family, do you mind eating them?"

"Well...yeah, I mean, don't you usual eat with your family?"

"Well...Sometimes, but usual it's just me and my brother Mycroft."

"Oh...Well, yeah, of course I wouldn't mind!"

"Sooooo...What do you wanna do?"

"I don't know..."

"We could watch a movie, eat a snack, play a game-"

"Is that a dead bird!?"

_Well...It was nice having a friend this long..._

"Ummm, yeah."

John looked at the dead bird and pocked it with his figure. "Why is it in your room? Was it a pet?"

Sherlock now join John by his side, he figure he had two choices, lie and continue being John's friend, or tell the truth and risk John wanting to leave. But the thought that John might still accept him even with his weird experiments was too tempering to deny. So with a sigh..."No, it was for an experiment. I found it in our gardens."

"What kind of experiment?"

"I was going to do different tests during the different stages of decay."

"Oh...why?"

"Well...Because...It was...interesting and-"

"Cool! What stuff are you doing to test on it? Are you going to test how water affects it? Cause if you need to there's a stream by my house and-"

"You want to help?"

John stopped and turned back to his friend, "Yeah, I think it's cool!

So Sherlock decided that maybe it was finally time to conduct his experiment. Sherlock and John had tested four different types of liquid on the bird and were now putting it in his freezer and would check it in the morning.

"Hey Sherlock, I'll be right back, I need to go change my pants, I got some of that green stuff on them."

"Okay! I'll just get some snack out for us!"

As John went up stairs Sherlock went to the fridge to see what food they had. They had grapes, yogurt, some of those mini pieces of cheese, ham and stuff grown-ups put on tray for when guest come over, cake, strawberries-

Cake.

That could only mean one thing; Mycroft would be done soon... "Sherlock close the fridge! You're letting all the cold air out!"

"Don't worry, I'm sure all the air from your head will fill it back up!"

"What are you going anyways?"

"Getting food for me and John!"

"Ha! You mean your imagery friend! You really believe in him don't you?"

"JOHN IS TOO REAL!"

"Prove it!"

"JOOOOOOOOHN!"

The small blonde boy came running down the stairs, "What!? What happened!? Sherlock are you alright!?"

"I am now!" Sherlock turned to see Mycroft with a face of utter disbelief. "Do you believe me now?"

John tilted his head in confusion. "Don't worry John I'll explain later!"


	6. Cross Your Heart

The two boys sat at the island in the middle of the kitchen eating pieces of watermelon. As they bit into and sucked the watermelon neither one said a word, for nothing was needed to be said. John was Sherlock's friend and Sherlock was John's friend. It didn't seem to matter how long they had been friends for, or how long they would be. What mattered now was the present, the here and now. And here and now John and Sherlock had a mixture of saliva and watermelon juice running down their chins and all over the counter.

After they finished eating Sherlock hopped off the stool he had sat on, wiped his face with the back of his chin and they rubbed his hand of on his pants. "We should probably cleanup..."

John slide of his stool and joined his friend on the ground. "Yeah, probably, do you guys have like a sponge or something?"

Sherlock looked around, "Look there! Above the sink!" John looked where Sherlock was pointing and saw he was pointing to a roll of paper towels hanging on a rack above the sink. "It's too high up! We'll never reach!"

"Maybe not apart, but together I bet we could reach it!"

"But- my leg! I'm not strong enough!"

"I'll bend down and you can stand on my shoulders!"

John looked at his friend as he got down on the ground and waited for John. "I promise not to drop you!"

"Cross your heart?"

"Cross my heart!" Sherlock said as he drew an X with his finger over his heart. Sherlock crouched down and brought his hands up to his shoulders waiting for John to step up. John First put his good leg up and held onto the sink to keep balance. Sherlock reached up and held onto John's leg. Once Sherlock had a good grip on his ankle John brought up his leg with the brace and placed it comfortably on Sherlock's shoulder. Sherlock was careful with this leg and had held onto it lightly but was still had a firm grip on it.

"You ready?" Sherlock asked from the ground. "As I'll ever be." John said as he loosened his grip.

"Okay, on the count of three!1...2...3!" Sherlock slowly stood, giving John a chance to get balance as he stood. John went from holding onto the sink counter to holding onto a cabinet handle. "Okay John, now grab the paper towel!" John leaned over with one hand still gripping onto the handle on the cabinet and one hand reaching over and unrolling the paper towels. John reached over with the other hand and gripped onto the paper towel. With one hand tightening its grip the other hand began to pull the paper towel trying to tear it.

"It's not ripping!" John said as he started yanking at the paper towel. "John! Stay still! If you keep moving I can't-"

As Sherlock spoke John kept pulling and yanking until he pulled too far and sent him and Sherlock stumbling backwards. Sherlock could feel himself falling backwards so as he did he stumbled backwards until he came to the stool. So when John did fall he plopped down the stool only slightly dazed. Sherlock, on the other hand, fell down and hit his head on the legs of the stool.

When John finally gathered his bearings he realized what happened and rushed down to his friend's side. "Sherlock!? Are you okay!?"

"John...Why are there two of you?"

"Oh my gosh! Sherlock! What happened? Who is this? What he doing here!?"

John looked up to see a teenage girl had entered the kitchen. As she spoke she rushed about the kitchen gripping a towel from a drawer and filled it with ice from the freezer. "Mr. Holmes, are you alright?"

Sherlock finally came around to recognize who it was who entered the kitchen. "J- John this is Di- Dina. She's- She's our-"

"Shhh, it's alright Sherlock, c'mon let's get you lying down. You've got a pretty nasty bump on your head!"

John sat on the couch in the living room with Sherlock head on his lap with the towel filled with ice sitting on his head. "I'm cold." Sherlock muttered as he curled into himself. "It's 'cause of the ice, do you have any blankets in a closet or something?"

Sherlock thought for a second, "I think we have fluffy blankets in the hall closet. Mrs. Marbles keeps them there for winter." John looked around and saw in the hallway between the living room and the kitchen there was a closet. John switched out his lap for a pillow lying on the couch. He got up and pulled out a fluffy navy blue blanket.

He unfolded the blanket and covered Sherlock with it. "Did you want anything else? The TV on? Something to eat? Something play with? A movie?"

Sherlock gave a small smile to his friend, "Maybe, we could watch a movie..."

"Sure! What movie? Where do you keep them?"

"Over there in the cabinet, you could pick one out if you like...My favorite is Pirates movies!"

"Oh! How Muppet Treasure Island!" John said as he took the video and lifted it above his head to show his friend on the couch. "I LOVE THAT ONE!" Sherlock said with a huge grin.

"I'VE GOT THE MADNESS!"

"I'VE GOT IT!"

Sherlock laid on the couch with his sandwiched in-between the pillow and the towel filled with ice. John sat on the other side of couch sitting on top of Sherlock's feet. Suddenly all the pirates and men and Muppets on the ship suddenly started shaking and wiggling and broke out into song singing about 'Cabin Fever'.

"This is my favorite part!" John said as he started wiggling along with the pirates.

"Mine too!" Sherlock said as he started slowly wiggling, but not hard enough to move the towel of ice.

"Sherlock my baby what happened!?"

Sherlock looked over in time to see his mother come rushing in and bring him into a tight embrace. "Mummy! You're squishing me!"

Mrs. Holmes let him go to get a better look at his head. "Oh Sherlock! That was a very stupid thing for you to do!"

"Y- You found out?" Sherlock said sheepishly.

"Dina told me. Oh John, I hope you didn't make your leg any worse! We can call your mother if you'd-"

"NO!" John and Sherlock said at the same time. "I mean, no, its okay. I'm fine and it would only worry her."

Mrs. Holmes nodded, "Alright, well I'll be upstairs. I have some unfinished work, so if you need anything ask Dina or Mrs. Marbles. Mr. Wilson wouldn't be here because I asked him to run an errand for me.

"Yes Mummy!"

"Thank you Mrs. Holmes!"

The movie came to part where Captain Smollett (Kermit The Frog) and Benjamina Gunn (Miss Piggy) were tied by their feet hanging over the edge of cliff singing 'Love Led Us Here,' John had already fallen asleep and was laying his head resting against the armrest. Sherlock was still awake but his eyes kept fluttering and knew he would fall asleep soon.

He knew he must have been close to unconsciousness because he didn't notice Mycroft enter the room. Mycroft scoffed at the movie. "What?" Sherlock asked as he looked up at his brother.

"Love, it's a dangerous disadvantage found on the losing side."

"Not'ah!"

"See for yourself Sherlock! Look at them! Even in children movies they prove it! Their hanging over a cliff about to die! Why? Because the fat pig had to open her mouth to save her 'love'!"

"Yeah, maybe now, but they win in the end! They beat the bad guys and-"

"And what?'Live Happily Ever After'? Sherlock that's a fantasy! No one 'Lives happily Ever After' in real life!"

"Yeah'huh!"

"Name one person!"

"..."

"Like I said-"

"That's only cause I'm younger and don't know many people!"

"Yeah but-"

"Granddad and Grandma! They've been married for over 50 years!"

Mycroft rolled his eyes, "Go to sleep Sherlock, you're too young to understand!"

Sherlock would have defended himself, but he had already given into unconsciousness.

When he awoke the air was filled with the smells of a freshly cooked chicken. He looked over at his friend, John was still asleep. Sherlock couldn't help but wish that John's life was better than his. Maybe John had a nice family; maybe he had siblings who played with him and had fun with him who didn't leave all the time. Maybe he had a dad who lived with him and played catch, took him out fishing or hunting or camping.

Maybe, hopefully, at least one of them was truly happy.


	7. At the Dinner Table

"John..."

Nothing.

"John?"

Silence.

"Jooohhhnnn!"

A groan.

"JOHN!"

'WAH!"

John jumped awake when Sherlock all but screamed his name in his ear. "About time! C'mon! Dinners ready!"

The 'Dinner Table' at the Holmes' manor looked more like a long buffet table simply set for a dinner. Mrs. Holmes sat at one of head of the table, Mycroft to her right and Sherlock to her left with John sitting next to Sherlock.

As usual, Mycroft came to the dinner table all 'poshed up' as John put it, while Sherlock and John were wearing T-shirts and shorts and had bed-head.

"So... John, tell me, what's Sherlock like in school?" Mrs. Holmes asked as Dina and Mrs. Marbles brought out the soup, the first course. Even though John didn't look at Sherlock, he could practically hear him rolling his eyes.

"He's brilliant! He's the smartest kid in the class!" John said, he looked into the bowel to see as what he would later describe to his mother as 'Green sludge'.

"Oh? I can certainly understand why someone would want to be friends with Sherlock's for his high intelligence."

"High intell-"

"What mother means is that she can understand why you would to be friends with someone who is smarter than you." Sherlock put in. If any of the children had been looking, they would have seen Mummy Holmes turn a light shade of pink.

"Sherlock dear, really that was most-"

"If you think I'm friends with Sherlock just 'cause he got brains you couldn't be more wrong!"

Suddenly everyone, even Mycroft who honestly didn't care what this 'John' said about his brother, snapped their heads up and looked at John like he was the greatest mystery in the world. "Sherlock is my best friend! He's fun to be around and has great ideas! He says what he thinks and doesn't care what people think about him! He's honest and his always careful when it comes to making sure I don't get hurt! I think he's the coolest kid EVER!"

With that said John closed his eyes and took a sip of his soup.

"Yes...Well...*clears throat*...I'm glad you feel that way about my son."

Their laughs could be heard as they giggled about how Mycroft's eyes nearly 'pop out of his skull' when John made his exclamation at dinner.

After dinner Sherlock decided to grab John and his stuff and move into the guest room.

The guest room had two beds, two dressers, two desk with a chair, and two armchairs in front of a fireplace. In looked much like a hotel room would, it even had a window with a view. John felt like he was going away on trip for a few days rather than staying the night at a friend's house. This made Sherlock worry at first, but all worries were cast aside when John said that it would be 'cool' cause it would be 'like it was just the two of them'. Sherlock found he liked this idea very much.

It was getting late and they had school in the morning, so Sherlock and John changed into their PJ's, said good night to each other and went to bed.

_"What time?"_

_"..."_

_"Ok, I'll be here."_

_"..."_

_"No, No, It's fine! Aithley is out of house for a few days and Mycroft is away at Boarding School."_

_"..."_

_"Don't worry about anything! Everything will be fine!"_

_"..."_

_"Okay, see you then Love!"_

_"..."_

_*CLICK*_

_Sherlock was bewildered; 'Love' was what his father always called mummy. Maybe he was talking to mummy on the phone? No, he told the person on the phone that mummy was going away for a few days, so it couldn't be her. Maybe it was Grandma or Grandpa? No, Mummy was WITH Grandma, and Grandpa was away with his friends. Papa and Uncle Lawrence still weren't talking, and Aunty Imogene was away in Paris with Aunty Quinn, Grandma, and Mummy meeting up with mémé. So who could Papa be talking to?_

_*Knock Knock Knock*_

_"Come in!"_

_Sherlock slowly entered into his father's study, afraid that his father might have realized Sherlock overheard his talking to someone. Sherlock's mind drew a blank, than he remembered the whole reason he came here in the first place._

_"Papa...I umm...Broke...Mummy's...vase..." Sherlock said as he looked down at the floor. "Oh Sherlock! No need to worry! We'll have it fixed up before Mummy gets home!" Elliot said as he picked up Sherlock and carried him downstairs to go see about fixing the vase._

_Sherlock laid his head down on his father's shoulder, for some reason he had a feeling this would be the last time he would get to be held by his father._

_~Later that evening~_

_Sherlock was laying in bed, his father's conversation on the phone earlier still buzzed about in his head. Something was wrong, and Sherlock felt like it was his job to find out what it was! As he lay there in bed thinking of what he should do, he heard a car pull up in the driveway. He ran to his window and saw a woman come out of the car. She had short blonde hair and was dressed up formally. _

_Sherlock watched as the woman walked from her car to the front door. Then, the strangest thing happened; the woman had a key to the house! Who was she and what was she doing here?_

_Sherlock quietly went from the window to his door. He opened his door and stuck his head out the door. He watched as his father escorted the woman towards his father's room._

_Then Sherlock got the shock of his life when he saw his father __**kiss**__ the other woman!_

_~A few nights later~_

_The woman had come to the Holmes Manor every night so far, and Sherlock was no closer to finding out who she was. Every night for the past few days it seemed to be the same. Every night at around 1 a.m. a car would pull up and the woman would come out. She would come inside with the key she had and Sherlock's father would greet her and they would retreat to his father's room. _

_Elliot Holmes never spoke about or even mentioned if anyone had come in the night to Sherlock the next morning. Which puzzled Sherlock to no end, his father always seemed to try and keep Sherlock up with whatever was going on around the house._

_Tonight Aithley Holmes came home from her trip to Paris. She insisted she have at least one dinner with her family before she became busy with work. Mycroft was still away in school and would not be coming home until Christmas break. So tonight it was only Aithley, Elliot and Sherlock. _

_"How was your trip dear?" Elliot asked as he cut into his piece of lamb. "Just fine, your sister failed to show up though. I think she called ahead and told mémé she had work or something."_

_Elliot only nodded as he brought a piece of his cut lamb to his mouth._

_"Anything happen at home while I was away?"_

_Elliot just shook his head and stuffed his mouth with mashed potatoes. "What about you Sherlock? Were you good for Papa while I was away? You didn't BREAK anything, did you?" Aithley asked with an all knowing smirk._

_Sherlock swallowed hard, "I...Umm...IamsorrymummyIdidn'tmeantobreakyourvase honestIdidn't-"_

_"Sherlock honey, slow down! It's alright, I'm not mad!"_

_"You're not?" Aithley just shoook her head._

_Dinner was finished and Mummy and Papa Holmes sat chatting about work, schedules and stuff that simply bored Sherlock. Sherlock wondered if Mummy knew about the woman who came at night. She always seemed to stay in Mummy and Papa's room. Would she stay there now that Mummy was here? Maybe he should ask? Surely Mummy knew, and if Papa didn't want Sherlock to know about the woman who came at night (Why else would she come at night if not for his father not wanting him to know about her?) then he would tell Sherlock simply not to be bothered by it. _

_"Papa?" Sherlock spoke up as the dishes were being cleared away._

_Both his parents stopped in whatever conversation they were in and turned to their son. "Yes? What is it son?" _

_"Is your lady friend going to be coming here after bedtime again?"_

_Elliot's face suddenly turned dark and Aithley faced looked both sadden and in horror at the same time. Sherlock decided at that point he never wanted to see he's parent's like that again. "S-Sherlock dear, why don't you go upstairs and get ready for bed? I'll be up shortly."_

_Sherlock sat on his bed hugging is knees, he had gotten his Pj's on and brushed his teeth and was waiting for someone to tuck him in and tell him a bedtime story._

_At first it was quiet, then he heard murmurs, then he heard shouts, then someone screamed 'GET OUT!' _

_Sherlock shuttered when he heard the scream. He heard heavy feet pounding on the ground then the door fly open, and when the door was slammed shut it shook the whole house. About ten minutes later Sherlock's mother came into his room._

_That night Aithley held her son in her arms as they both cried._

_"Tomorrow Sherlock dear, why don't we go to the store? Just the two of us, and we'll pick out some nice things, okay?"_

_Sherlock only nodded and fell asleep in his mother's arms._


	8. Best Friends

The next morning when Sherlock woke up the first thing he noticed was that he was not in his bed. The second thing he noticed was that there was someone in the bed next to him. The little blonde mop turned in its sleep and soon a little head peeped out from under the covers.

*Yawn* "Morning 'Lock."

"Morning John."

John looked over at the clock, "We should probably get up if we don't want to be late for school."

Sherlock looked over at the clock as well. He was surprised; he normally didn't sleep in so late, especially since he slept during the movie yesterday. It felt nice; normally he didn't feel so rested after he slept. He normally felt groggy and his mind felt clouded.

Sherlock groaned in response and slipped out of the bed. He stretched and fixed his twisted shirt. John turned his body and slowly slipped out of bed putting his stronger leg down first. "Does it hurt?" Sherlock asked.

"A little, but it mostly just aches and sometimes it stings. It mostly just hurts when I try and put all my weight on it. My doctor said something about that I could hurt myself more if I get too excited or stressed out. I haven't yet so I don't know what will happen if I do."

Sherlock only nodded, he had a feeling this was first time John had ever said it to anyone, so it made him feel special.

Sherlock and John ended up eating breakfast alone and then brought to school by Mr. Wilson.

"Mr. Wilson, where's mummy?"

"You're mother, Mr. Holmes, is in a telephone conference and cannot be interrupted at the moment. She informed me that if the conference ended smoothly she would pick you up at school today."

"How did the conference sound when she 'informed' you?"

"Unpleasant."

Sherlock rolled his eyes, telephone conference, that was new one. "Sorry about your mum 'Lock."

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Sherlock said looking through his notebook. It was Friday and today would be his last chance to deduce people. Ever since the 'Dinner Accident' his father had forbidden him to deduce while staying at his house. Lucky for Sherlock, he only went there once a month. Once his mother won custody over the boys, she and Elliot came to an agreement. She could keep the last name and the house as long as Elliot got to see each boy once a month.

"I don't know...I can stop if you want..."

"No, its okay, I- I think I like it..."

John and Sherlock took their normal seat in the back. But today Sherlock noticed that the girl next to John kept trying to talk to him. Sherlock didn't want her to; John was his friend, why should she get to take him away from him? No, Sherlock had just made his first friend, he was not going to let so girl take him away!

"What do you got for lunch?" John asked the redheaded girl next to him.

"I brought-"

"You brought a peanut butter and banana sandwich. You can't have a PB&J sandwich because you're allergic to certain types of jams. I know because I heard your mum telling the teacher to make sure none of the other students touch you with jam-covered-fingers. You have an older brother who picks on you. I know that because-" Sherlock didn't get a chance to finish because the little girl started crying.

Mr. Matthews came over to see what the matter was. "Kate, are you alright?"

"That boy was being mean to me!" She said as he pointed over to Sherlock and John.

"Who, John?"

"No! The other boy! The dark haired one! He was saying stuff about me!"

Mr. Matthews had the girl go over and sit by Mrs. Bray and came back over to speak with Sherlock. "Now Sherlock, please tell me why you were being mean to Miss. Kate?"

"I wasn't! I was only telling the truth!"

Mr. Matthews had seen Sherlock and John together since the first day. He knew that if someone was saying something false or picking on Sherlock, John would be the one to stand up for him. He looked over at John to see if he had anything to say about the matter. When he saw John looking away from both him and Sherlock he knew that Sherlock was at fault to some point.

"Alright Sherlock, we'll short this out after class. We're going to be staring so I want you to stay quiet and try not to say anything you might think will hurt someone, alright?"

"Yes Sir."

"Thank you Sherlock."

At recess Sherlock sat on the swings while John sat by himself on the play-set watching Sherlock through the bars. He didn't understand it, why did Sherlock have to say those things about that nice girl? She was only being friendly. Yes, maybe she did overreact. But he didn't have to blurt it out that she had allergies and had a mean older brother! She was probably embarrassed about having allergies. Why couldn't Sherlock see that?

Sherlock didn't understand, yes he wanted the girl to back off from John, but he didn't mean for her to cry. And now John was avoiding him. Was what he did really that wrong? Why couldn't he just keep deductions to himself? Why did he always have to ruin everything? It seemed every time he made a deduction about someone he was close with it always drove them away. Sherlock only wanted his friend, he didn't was to lose him. Why couldn't John see that?

Sherlock knew he had to fix things now if he wanted to keep his friend. He wouldn't be able to see him over the weekend and by next week it might be too late.

Sherlock looked up and saw his friend looking down at him from the play-set. It seemed they were both thinking and feeling the same way. Yet for completely different reasons.

John sighed; Sherlock really didn't know how this whole 'friendship' thing worked did he?

Was he really his first friend? It didn't seem right, Sherlock was so cool! He was amazing and smart and fun! How could the whole world be missing this?

John got up and slid down the slide. The little redheaded called Kate seemed to be doing fine now. She obviously wasn't too much affected by what Sherlock had said. Did girls always do that? Make everything seem like a big deal? John remembered he saw some girl called Sally yell at Sherlock on Sherlock's first day. Girls were certainly weird things.

They also smelled funny.

John walked over from the slide to the swings were Sherlock was. "Hi." He greeted Sherlock as he sat in the swing next to him.

"Hello." Sherlock said back.

They both pumped and swung with each other, not really knowing what to say. John decided he would have to be the first one to break the silence. "Why did you say those things about Kate?"

"Cause they were true."

"Yeah, but you didn't have to say them. She obviously didn't want anyone to know about her allergies or her brother."

"Why? Lots of kids have allergies, and even I have a mean older brother."

"Yeah, but it's different. Maybe there was some reason her and her brother were fighting and she was embarrassed about it."

"Yeah, but I didn't know the reason."

"Yeah, but she didn't know that. To Kate, you were a strange boy who somehow knew a lot of things about her without her telling you. She was probably scared."

"John."

"Yes Sherlock?"

"Are we still friends?"

John stopped and looked over at his friend who had also stopped swinging. John smiled and said "Yes 'Lock, you're my best friend!"


	9. To Father

Sherlock sat by the window in his bed room. His bags were all packed and waiting downstairs for his father's driver to come pick him up. Ever since the night when Sherlock exposed his father in front of his mother Elliot had been nothing but cold to him. Why Elliot wanted Sherlock and his brother to visit him at least once a month was beyond Sherlock.

The one thing that Sherlock was worried about most of all was _her_. On his last visit at his father's house, his father introduced Sherlock to his girlfriend Jessica Whites. She was your typical blonde-haired-blue-eyes American from California. And as if that wasn't bad enough, Elliot had told Sherlock that he might be moving soon.

Sherlock groaned when he thought of moving. The whole reason his mother had moved was so his father could keep the house. Mrs. Holmes had moved into her grandfather's manor which she had inherited once her grandfather had passed away. Sherlock was fine with this arrangement. The house had been previously used as a summer house, so really there were more happy memories then sad ones. It was also the house where Elliot had 'helped' Sherlock build a tree house. Sherlock had one at his old house, but lighting had struck the tree and it fell. Sherlock was actually rather pleased and began taking pictures and during tests on the tree.

"Sherlock, father is here." Mycroft said from the door.

Sherlock scoffed, no, father was not here, rather it was his driver. And there was a 75% chance that Elliot would not be at the house when Sherlock would arrive.

_Sherlock sat on is bed hugging Einstein. Mycroft would be home soon, which normally would excite him, Mycroft would always tell him stories about his teachers, or let him look over his textbooks. But from what his mother had told him, Mycroft had not taken the news about father leaving so well. _

_Sherlock heard the front door open and bags drop on the floor below. "Sherlock! Your brother is home!" his mother yelled. "Mum...please." said Mycroft in a quiet voice._

_Sherlock didn't want to face his brother. He knew, Mycroft didn't have to say anything, but he still knew. Mycroft had blamed him for his father leaving, and honestly, Sherlock blamed himself. If Sherlock had simply kept his mouth shut, they would still be the happy little family they were before._

_Sherlock heard a knock on his door, then his mother entered. "Honey? Aren't you going to say hello to your brother? I know how much you missed him."_

_Sherlock simply shook his head. His mother sighed, "Al- Alright, dinner is in a few hours. And please dress nicely, Meme and Pepe will be here soon."_

_"Mummy." Sherlock finally spoke._

_"Yes Honey?"_

_"Will Grandma and Grandpa be coming over for Christmas?"_

_Sherlock could tell by the pain look in his mother's eyes that the answer would no. "I don't know Honey. We haven't really spoken yet."_

_"What about Aunt Quinn? Will she be coming over?"_

_"Sherlock dear, listen, I and your father's family aren't really speaking at the moment. I think we're all too embarrassed, defensive and angry to speak at the moment."_

_"Who are they angry?" Aithley could practically see her son thinking that they were mad at him. "Well, Grandma and Grandpa are mad at your father, but because he's their son Grandma doesn't want to be mad at him. I think we're all just confused at the moment and need time to think about everything and what to do next."_

_"Well much time do they need?"_

_"Too much for my liking honestly. I just wish w could be done and over with it."_

_"Me too mummy, me too."_

Sherlock pulled the handle from his suitcase up and began to pull it with him towards the door. "Bye Mycroft." Sherlock said in nearly a whisper.

"Bye...Sherlock." Sherlock saying good-bye to him honestly surprised Mycroft. If it had been a few years back, they might have even hugged. But now, things were different. Ever since that night when Mycroft and Sherlock got into fight after Mycroft had made some stupid comment about Sherlock and the 'incident' with their father, Mycroft knew things could never go back to how they were before.

Mycroft watched from the window as Sherlock climbed into the back seat of the black car and watched as they drove away. Mycroft wasn't sure why, but for some reason their father always wanted him and Sherlock to visit at different times. Maybe he thought he couldn't handle them both at once? Maybe because it reminded him of how things were before too much. Whatever the reason, Mycroft thought him a coward for not even showing up to pick up his own son.

There were two reasons why Mycroft hated his father. One, was because he had cheated on his mother. Two, was because Elliot favored Mycroft more than Sherlock. Elliot spoiled Mycroft; he would take him out and treat him like a real son. But with Sherlock, Mycroft didn't have to be there to know that most days consisted of Sherlock sitting alone in a big house.

"Evening Mr. Douglas." Sherlock said as he buckled his seat belt.

"Evening Mr. Holmes, your father had instructed me to bring you to his house. Also, your father asks that you do not disturb him tonight. He will be returning home late and will be tired. So please, try not to be a burden."

Sherlock looked up in the rearview up and looked Mr. Douglas straight in the eye and said "I like Mr. Wilson better."

Mr. Douglas knew all too well about 'Mr. Wilson', Mrs. Homes' driver. Once when Mr. Douglas was picking Mr. Holmes up from the airport, Mr. Wilson was bringing Mrs. Holmes to the airport and they had crashed. The crash was obviously Mr. Wilson's fault, but of course the police would listen to the mother with the child in her car.

Mr. Douglas gave groan and turned back to the road. He could honestly care less. Sherlock was a brat, the worst brat he had ever known. And that's saying a lot, because he had worked for many rich families. Why he even remembers this one family, The Adler Family, and their daughter-

Mr. Douglas shook his head, that was all in the past. Now he was working for Mr. Holmes. Elliot Holmes worked mostly from home, paid him well enough, and gave him lots of time off. He wasn't complaining.

But if that brat in the backseat did, he worried that he might get fired. He already knew Mr. Holmes highly valued the opinion of his other son, Mycroft Holmes, but what about this one? Did he value his opinion too? Or was he just a brat who opened his mouth too wide once and learned the hard way that he should mind his own business.

Mr. Douglas guessed the latter.


	10. Houses Around the Globe

Elliot Holmes owned a flat on the other side of London. Elliot hardly ever stayed at the flat thought; he had a new house in America, a place in Tokyo, an apartment in Italy, a house in India, and a flat in France. Although Elliot had told Sherlock that Jessica was his girlfriend, Sherlock had deduced that Elliot had at least one 'partner' for each of his houses.

The flat in London was small compared to his other houses, and you didn't have to be Sherlock Holmes to know why. The only time he went to London was because of his business and his sons. The flat had two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, and bathroom, nothing more than what was needed.

The downstairs bedroom was Elliot's while the upstairs one was a guest room.

As soon as Sherlock arrived he went straight upstairs and began to unpack. It was when he was unpacking that he noticed it, the flat was unusually quiet. At each of his houses, Elliot Holmes had at least a few servants. The flat in London was no exception. Elliot Holmes had hired a housekeeper named Naomi; she was in her early sixties and lived a few houses over. She would spend most of her days cleaning the flat, buying fresh food for when her master would return and chatting with the tenants next door. Naomi was always the first one to greet Sherlock when he visited his father; she was the one thing that actually excited him during his visits. He would help her with her chores and then she would take him out on 'adventures' all over the city.

Sherlock came downstairs to see Mr. Douglas fixing himself a sandwich. Sherlock go down his knees and rested his head against the railing on the stairs.

"Where's Naomi?" Sherlock asked.

"Who?" Mr. Douglas said with a mouth full of his sandwich.

"Mrs. Clouds, where is she? She's normally here, so where is she?"

"From what Mr. Holmes told me he fired her."

"What!? Why!?"

"Shut it brat! I don't know, all I know is one day she's here, next she's gone! Now shut it and let me eat!"

Elliot Holmes came home late that night, the time he couldn't tell you, all he knew was that it was well past midnight and he could practically hear his bed calling him. He was walking up the stairs to his flat when he hear yelling, it sounded like Mr. Douglas, but what was he still doing here? Elliot had told him he would be late that night and that he would take a cab home and to take the rest of the night. So why was he still here? And who was he yelling at?

Oh yeah, Sherlock, great.

"THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M TELLING YOU! GET INTO BED OR ELSE YOU'LL BE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE!"

"Oh shut it! You can't do anything to me! You wouldn't dare! Especially when you're right about to ask him for a raise! Why is that I wonder? Could it be because you need to pay off your debts from your stupid addiction to gambling!?"

"OI! YOU LITTLE LIAR! YOU BETTER KEPT YOUR MOUTH SHUT!"

"Or what? I'll 'be in serious trouble', Ha! Honestly, couldn't think up anything-"

"Sherlock Holmes! Why are you not in bed?" Mr. Douglas had been with Sherlock since that after noon, the poor man was probably at wits end!

"Mr. Holmes!" Mr. Douglas jumped as he turned around.

"Go homes Mr. Douglas, you've done more than enough. Get some rest, I have a meeting tomorrow and will need there by 10 a.m."

"Yes Sir. Goodnight." And with that Mr. Douglas left the father and son alone in the small flat. Elliot Holmes sighed, "Mind telling what that was abo-"

"WHERE'S NAOMI!"

"Sherlock...Please try to understand, business has been down, and I needed to cut down-"

"SO WHY NOT SELL YOUR HOUSE IN FRANCE! OR EVEN BETTER! GET RID OF THE ITALIAN GIRL WHO KEEPS CLINGING ON YOU! Does Miss. Whites know about her? I bet not! I bet she was some whore on the street who need some money and-"

"Sherlock Holmes I will not stand here and let you speak about Donatella like that! She is a respectful woman who needed a job to support her family! She is simply my housekeeper! This paranoia of yours is completely ridicules! Just because I let someone lady watch over my house while I'm away does not mean I'm having some kind of relationship with her!"

"It's not paranoia! It's the facts! You just got back from your business meeting in Italy, correct? And I'm guessing you made a quick stop by the house before you left, just enough time you grab your things and get to the air port in time. I can still smell her perfume all over you! I've also looked through your files while you were gone, all your 'housekeeper', excluding Naomi, are all under the age of 35 and are all woman with no spouses."

"That doesn't prove anything!"

"It proves everything!"

"I don't have time for this Sherlock; go to bed, or at least to your room. I need my rest for my meeting in the morni-" Elliot said as he tried to make a quick get-away to his bedroom. "You never answered my question..." Sherlock said from the bottom of the staircase.

"Which was!?"

"What happened to Naomi."

Elliot sighed, "Caring isn't an advantage, Sherlock."

"Did you tell Mycroft that?"

"What?" Elliot said turning around. He had in fact said that to Mycroft, more like yelled it at him on his first trip to his father's house after the separation.

"Nothing...Just...Answer my question...About Naomi..."

Mr. Holmes knew about Sherlock's attachment to the old housekeeper. But he'd finally bought a house in America, and Mrs. Clouds made it clear that London was her home and she had no intentions on leaving it.

"I bought a house in America, unfortunately not that one in California like had hoped. It's a beach house in Florida, I did ask Mrs. Clouds about coming there, and I offered her a room and told her that she would be taken care of. But she said that she would much rather stay here in London. I had intended on her to stay on until next week, but apparently she got a job offer and will be starting in a couple of days. Now goodnight Sherlock, there is nothing more to talk about."


	11. Big Boys Don

Warning: Mildly graphic description of Abuse and talk of blood.

At the Watson home, it was just after 8 p.m. and the family had finished dinner and was now reclining in front of the Telly, everyone except John that is. John was standing on a chair in front of the kitchen sink washing the dishes. He was alright, no one was hurting him; he wasn't being beaten, sworn at, kicked around, he was alright.

Inside every little boy there is a small part of their heart wants nothing more than their father's approval. Some boys played sports, some listened to their father's stories contently and would even encourage them to continue and tell more. Some boys would marry beautiful young women, some became successful in the business world, it didn't matter what, as long as they got the approval in the end, some boys would do anything to please their fathers.

John was no exception.

Washing the dishes, doing the clothes, mopping the floors, mowing the lawn, anything to get his father's approval. He hated being seen as weak, as some burden his father was forced to carry.

_As long as I do it right, _

_Don't mess up,_

_Don't-_

A plate slipped from his hand.

_Mess-_

John reached for the plate to stop it from smashing against the floor.

_Up-_

The plate crashed to the floor and shattered to pieces.

"John! What was that?" His father yelled from the living room.

John cringed, he knew what was to happen next, and it was inevitable. His whole body seem to be shaking with every stomping foot step from his father. He tried to still himself; at least he could be strong and wouldn't give his father the victory of knowing he had broken his son. John tried to detach himself from all his emotions; of all the times now was not the time to be emotional.

"What the hell happened!?"

John slide off the chair, being extra cautious of his leg. He knew that his father would not risk John being sent to the hospital. But nor would John, if he said anything, Penelope and Harry might be hurt next.

He walked over to his father and stood with his shoulder straightened. "I accidentally dropped the plate father; I will pay for a new one. So please, go back to enjoying yourself in front of the telly."

Clint smacked his son's face. "Don't try and smooth talk your way out of this! We can't keep paying for new things stupid!"

Clint walked over and picked up a piece of the shattered plate. "You see this! You retard! This is what you are! Broken! An accident!" And while saying this he slashed John's face.

"AHHH! FATHER! STOP! PLEASE!"

"SHUT UP YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SH-"

"CLINT! STOP!" Penelope wanted to scream when she saw the blood dripping from the small boy's face. "STAY OUT OF THIS PENELOPE!"

"Clint! This has gone on far enou-"

She didn't get to finish what she was saying for her husband back-handed her began to shoving her. "YOU!" He said pointing at John. "WAIT THERE TILL I COME BACK! I SWEAR IF YOU'RE NOT THERE WHEN I GET BACK YOU'LL NEED MORE THAN A STUPID BRACE!"

Once she was out of Clint's reach, Penelope grabbed Harry and held her on the porch in front of the house.

"M- Mum, what's going to h-happen to John?"

"Shhhh Harry," Penelope said as he cradled the girls head against her chest. "John will need us to be brave for him-" Before Penelope could finish what she was saying she began having a coughing fit. Her whole body started shaking and her felt like she was freezing.

"Mum...MUM! Please, tell me, are you alright? Mum?"

"Shhh..." Was all Penelope could say as she rocked back-and-forth with her daughter.

John woke up the next day in an unfamiliar room. At first he started to panic, but calmed down once he realized he was in a hospital. It was the worst feeling in the world, he thought that his father would never go this far.

He looked over to see his sister was sitting in a hospital chair staring at the floor.

"H-Harry?"

The girl looked panicked and jumped a little when her brother called for her. "Oh John! You're awake! How do you feel? Does it hurt anywhere?"

"Ummm...Why- why is there a bandage around the one side of my head?"

Harry was hesitant for a moment, but then spoke. "The glass from the plate cut your right eye pretty badly, and your leg had gotten a lot worse. They had to do surgery on your eye, they said it will be two weeks before the bandages can come off, but then you have to have a patch, and it will be sometime after that before it will heal completely. The brace on your leg though, the doctors say it will have to stay on for another two months in addition to the amount of time it was still suppose to stay on. So in total it will have to stay on for three more months."

"H-How's Penelope?"

Harry sighed; she knew John would probably never consider Penelope as his mother, not as long as she continues to let her husband abuse John like this. Harry did pity Penelope; the poor woman was scared out of her wits. She could still remember the look of horror when they came back into the house to find John unconscious, lying on the kitchen floor with blood coming from his eyes.

"She's alright, scared as hell, but alright."

John only nodded, his thoughts returned to Sherlock. What was he doing right now? Was he working on an experiment? Was he being doted upon by his mother? Was he fighting with Mycroft?

"John Watson?"

The boy looked to see a doctor walk into the room. "It's good to see you awake young man," The doctor now turned to Harry, "Miss. Watson, could you please excuse us? I would like to talk with John alone for a moment."

Harry nodded her head and left.

"My name is Dr. Pits, now John; could you please tell me what happened?"

John froze for a second, his father had already hurt Penelope, there was nothing he could do about that, but there was still Harry. John looked towards the door, what if his father somehow found out he told them? He would be furious, he would surly kill him. If he was willing to hurt him so much that he had to be taken to the hospital, what was stopping him from killing John all together?

"I- I was washing the dishing with some hot water..."

"Yes, go on." The doctor encouraged him,

"I- I thought one of the cups had cooled down enough to use, so I filled it with cold water. The cup shattered and some of the pieces cut my eye."

John remembered that once when they were at a restaurant a man from the table next to them glass shattered because the cup had just come out from the dishwasher. Harry had tried to explain to him about the heat from the glass and coolness from the drink and so on, but he never really understood it. Hopefully the doctor bought his story and wouldn't ask him to explain how.

"Hmmm... Well, be more careful next time. But, can you explain what happened to your leg? It's pretty beat up."

John looked down, not daring to look the doctor in the eye. "I-I was standing on a chair, cause I can't reach the sink...when the glass for in my eye I took a step back and-"

"Fell off the chair?" The doctor filled in for him.

John nodded, it seemed like the doctor was buying his story.

"Alright, well everything else looks fine. If you need anything just push the call button for the nurse. You can leave tomorrow; I just want to keep an eye on that eye to make sure it doesn't get infected or anything, alright?"

John nodded and looked out towards the window in his room. Maybe he could finally get some rest.

So John leaned back and closed his eyes, he was pretended he was away on trip. Oh! He had an idea! He pretended he was spending the night in a hotel room going to Disney World...and...Maybe he could pretend that Sherlock was in the bed next to him, telling him about all the fun things they could do there.


	12. The Bliss of Being Home Sick

"HE'S JUST NEEDS TO SUCK IT! YOUR CODDLING ISN'T GOING TO HELP HIM!"

"Clint...Please, he's hurt and needs to rest. Why don't you go downstairs and practice on your punching bag-"

"I DON'T NEED TO 'VENT' PENEL!" Clint Watson stopped for a moment and took a deep breath, "When I get back I want this mess taken care of. I want John doing his chores, and Harry doing her's, got it?"

"Clint...Harry's not here, remember? She went to stay at Clara's-"

"YOU LET THAT BITC-"

John decided at that point to stop listening by the door. He hobbled back into bed and grabbed one of his comics and turned on the radio, trying to drawn the noise. John loved reading comics, his favorite were the Captain America ones. Captain America was the reason he wanted to join the army when he was older. John was reading _Captain America Comic #7_ where Captain America was fighting against Red Skull. He was just getting to the good part when-

*Knock Knock Knock*

"Come in..."

Penelope came in carrying a tray with a bowl of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup.

"Here you go dear, how does your leg feel?"

"Thanks...Still sore a little, but I think I can start walking on it a bit."

Penelope propped the tray on John's lap and helped him sit up. She took the comic book and placed on the nightstand next to his bed. "Did you want anything to drink? I just bought some Orange Juice; we also have some Apple and Grape Juice as well."

"Could...Could I try a blend of Apple and Orange?" John asked as he took a sip of sew. "I don't know...That might be a bit much for your stomach..."

"Some Apple Juice than."

"Alright, one cup of Apple Juice coming right up!" With that, Penelope stood up and was about to leave the room when she heard John whisper a "...Thank you..."

Later on in the late afternoon, Penelope helped John move from his bed to the downstairs couch. John sat there quietly as Penelope busied herself with making dinner. She was making Italian Chicken and had just put the chicken in the oven.

Once dinner was cook she went to go check on John. "Hey sweetie, how are you feeling?" She asked as she sat down next to him and began feeling for a fever.

"I'm fine, a little warm and sore."

"Okay, well you don't need more medicine until after dinner. Does your stomach feel well enough to eat with the rest of us tonight?"

"Yeah, umm...is Harry going to be back tonight?"

"Yes, she's due back in about an hour. Why?"

"Cause Elton John is going to be on the Muppet Show tonight, and I remembered her saying she liked his stuff..."

"That's a lovely idea John! We can all watch it tonight after dinner! Is that alright?"

As John nodded, Penelope gave him a quick kiss on his forehead and went to go prepare the vegetables.

As he watched TV, John fell asleep. He was not woken up until dinner by his sister. That night, it was just Penelope, Harry and John. John couldn't remember his father leaving, but was too afraid to ask what happened to him.

"Hey Harry..." John said as he tried to cut a piece of chicken for himself.

"What kiddo?" She said in between bites.

"Umm...Did you...Did you wanna watch TV with us later? Me and...Mum...We're going to watch The Muppet Show, Elton John going to be on it..."

Harry smiled and shook John's hair. "Sure...but whoever eats there food fastest gets the remote!" Harry yelled and she and John began shoveling their food into their mouths.

In the end, Penelope finished first and got the remote, John got to hold the Popcorn bowl as he sit in between the two girls, and Harry got to sing on the top of her lungs along with Elton John.


	13. Changes

When Monday finally came around John's leg was healed enough so that he could attend school, but by his mother's request he had to sit in a wheelchair so he won't put too much pressure on it. It was hard at first, getting in and out of the chair, but with the help of his sister and mother he was able to eventually do it with ease.

Sherlock visit with his father was even more boring than the last time, especially without Naomi. The visit mostly consisted of him watching TV and sneaking into his father's room when he wasn't around. The only time he actually went out was Saturday night when his father took him out to a restaurant. But the trip was cut short when he informed their waitress that her husband was cheating on her, with another man.

John was the first to make it to school. His teacher switched out his normal desk with a shorter table that wasn't connected to a chair. John thought it was cool; it could be adjusted and even had a cup holder! Most of the kids thought it was cool as well, and soon were crowding around him to check it out. When asked what had happened, John told them the story that he told the doctor.

Sherlock came into the classroom to see a group of kids all gathered around where John's desk would be.

"Wow! You even got stickers to go it!" Said a boy looking at the stickers John's mother gave him to put on his wheelchair.

"Yeah! And my sister went to mall the other day and got me a Godzilla! And the teacher said I could keep it with me during class!...As long as I pay attention..."

Sherlock was finally able to see through the crowds to see John sitting in a wheelchair decorated with Captain America, Muppet, and dinosaur sticks hugging a Godzilla toy.

"John! What happened!?" Sherlock said as he rushed to his friend's side.

John shrugged and said "I had an accident at home; I got hurt with some glass pieces from a cup and fell of the chair I was standing on."

Sherlock went to protest, _Really John, that's the best excuse you got? _But the teacher came in, "Alright class! Today we're going to be reading a book together! And remember, tomorrow we're going to moving into our new classroom. So when you come into class tomorrow head down to the room with the Green door and the numbers 1-1-3 painted on it. Oh yes, and today is Carol Powers last day, so be sure to wish him good luck before he leaves!"  
Sally raises her hand and says "Mr. Matthew, where's Mrs. Bray? And why are we moving into a new classroom?"

"Excellent question Sally, Mrs. Bray will no longer be your teacher. I will be taking over for her because she needs to take some time off to help her daughter who just had a baby. Now about the classroom, the classroom we're in now is actually a spare classroom, our classroom had gotten a leak in it, but now it's fixed and we'll be moving back in tomorrow. This means that all of you are going to be at tables now and will be in groups of four. You'll find out tomorrow what group and table you're in."

At recess all the kids were buzzing about whose group they wanted to be in.

Today instead of sitting on the swings, John and Sherlock sat on a bench coloring. "John, what really happened, why did you lie?"

John looked startled for a minute, "Lock...listen, I accidently broke a plate when I was washing the dishes. My dad got mad at me and had to punish me."

"Punish!? It looks like he did a lot more than 'punish' you!"

"its fine Sherlock, he just forgot how much my leg was already hurt and went a little too far... Don't worry, it won't happen again! Besides, I got to stay in bed all day and read comics! My mom even talked about getting the Godzilla movie!"

"But John, we should tell someone. Maybe we should tell Mr. Matthew or The Principal. Maybe even Mycroft!"

"No!" John yelled with a crazed look, "Sherlock you have to promise me you'll never tell anyone!"

"But John-"

"No! You have to promise! You have to!"

Sherlock looked uncertain for a moment, "...or what?..."

"Lock please," John began, "You just have to! Cross your heart, okay?"

Sherlock gave a deep sigh and made an X over his heart. "...Cross my heart...But John, if you ever end up in the hospital again because of your dad you have to promise me you'll tell or at least let me tell!"

John thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Okay...But only if I end up at the hospital, deal?"

"Deal!"

And Sherlock and John spit in their hands, then shook on it.

"Hey John..." Sherlock said once they started coloring again. "I didn't know you liked dinosaurs."

John giggled, "I don't! But Peter Anderson gave me them in exchange for my apple juice!"

Sherlock sat up and looked up at John, "But I thought you liked Apple Juice?"

John looked over at his friend, "I do! But my sister sneaked a Soda Pop in bag when my mom wasn't look!"

The two boys giggled as they continued coloring. John never really liked all the attention all the other kids gave him anyways. He was much happier here coloring quietly with his friend then playing with the other kids by the noisy playground. At first, Penelope was worried about that, she thought maybe there must be something wrong or something had happened to John during the car crash. But the doctors informed her after John got his brace on that John was just a private kid, and that it was probably due to the fact since his father was away at work all the time, and his sister at school, he just preferred quiet areas over loud ones.

John had spent most of his days being watched by his Aunt Bess and Uncle Brian. They had a son, but he was ten years older than John, so he really had no one to play with.

But now he had Sherlock, and Sherlock was never too loud, but he was also never too quiet. Sometimes people can be so quiet that it irritates John. John gets frustrated with them because he thinks they're all being quiet for him, and they pity him, which he hates.

"Hey Sherlock."

"Yes John?"

"We should plan another...playdate..."

"Yeah, yes we should."


	14. Meeting New People

The new classroom was very different from the old one. In the old one, all the walls were a creamy white color. In the new one, each wall was a different color. There was a Blue wall, a Yellow wall, a Green wall and a Red wall. There were also four tables that matched each wall and chairs that matched the color of the table.

"Alright everyone! Stand over by the Blue wall and wait until I call your name and tell you what table you will be sitting at."

So all the kids went and lined up at the Blue wall, the one where they were to hang the pictures they would color.

"Alright, Sally, Peterson, Clay and Mike, you will all be at the Green Table. Please go over there now and take a seat."

"Davy, Kate, Alice and William, you will be at the Yellow Table, please go there now."

"Louis, Heather, Ethan and Isaac, you will be at the Red Table."

"Sherlock, John and Cathy, you will be at the Blue Table. Alright? Is everyone seated? Now why don't we take a few minutes to get to know everyone? I tried to pair you up so that you're near the people you normally sit next to so it would be a little familiar, but I unfortunately couldn't do that for everyone, so while I'm getting our lesson sorted why don't you all get to know the people at your table."

Catharine Sandstone or 'Cathy' was short, much like John, and a bit chubby. She had black hair that went just past her shoulders and small blue eyes. She had cuts and bruises all over her legs from learning how to ride a bike; her father had finally taken the training wheels off.

"Ummm, Hi, I'm Cathy, what are your names?" The small girl said curling into herself.

"I'm John, and this is Sherlock."

"It's nice to meet you both; do you know why there are only three people at our table? Everyone else's has four..."

John just shrugged, but at the same time Sherlock spoke. "It's because Carol Powers was suppose to be at our table, but since he moved there was an uneven amount of people and there wouldn't be enough tables and chairs if they paired everyone up in twos or threes, so we got stuck with only having three, not that I'm complaining. Also, it's 'everyone _else_ has four at their table' not _else's_"

Cathy looked stunned for a moment, but then grew embarrassed. "S-Sorry, I'm not very good with grammar I'm afraid."

"Alight class! Have you gotten to know that people at your table? I hope so, because these are the people you're going to be spending all day with. And remember, if you have a problem with someone at your table, Peterson this goes for you as well, please speak to ME about it."

The day was over before they knew it and the kids were all running out to get to their rides. As everyone ran past them to be the first ones out, Sherlock and John came out together at a slower pace.

"So when should we get together Sherlock?" John asked as his friend who had been pushing him from behind.

"Hmm...I don't know, how soon do you get out of this wheelchair?"

"Soon, my mum said within the next few days."

"We should probably find out which day that is, so we don't plan it for the same day."

"Good idea, I'll ask my mum when she gets here. Hmm...I don't see her car out here yet...That's strange..."

John began to worry; his mum was always out there waiting for him when school was over. What if she got into another car crash? What if his father beat her and she had to be taken to the hospital? What if no one was coming? What if-

"You're think too loud John I can practically hear what you're thinking!" Sherlock said as he came around and stood next to his friend. "Sorry Sherlock, I'm just a bit worry that's all. What if she doesn't come?"

"She will, and if she doesn't you can always come to my house! Mrs. Marble made Pie for dessert tonight!"

John and Sherlock had to wait a whole ten minutes before Mrs. Watson finally did show up.

With a bruise on her temple.

"Hey John! Sorry I was late Honey, I lost track of time and before I knew it, it was past time to pick you up!"

Sherlock pushed John over to the car and stopped to let John's mother help him get seated into the car. "My Sherlock! What a helper you've been! I feel a whole lot better know there's someone watching over my little man for me!"

"Mum...What happened?" John asked while his mother folded up his wheelchair. "What do you mean dear?"

"I think John is referring to the black-and-blue bruise on your head." Sherlock said opening the boot for Mrs. Watson. "Thank you Sherlock, but really, it was just from an accident at home. I opened our overstuffed closet and something fell and hit me there, there's really nothing to worry about."

Although Mr. Wilson didn't like it when Sherlock (or any of the Holmes really) made him wait, he honestly couldn't care when he saw Sherlock waiting with John in a wheelchair and even helping his mother put the wheelchair away. John was good for Sherlock, it was quite obvious. Ever since they became friends Sherlock had become more and more enjoyable (or at least tolerable) to be around. He even told Mr. Wilson when he picked him from his father's house that he liked him more than his father driver, Mr. Douglas.

"Is mummy going to be home?" Sherlock asked as he buckled himself in.

"Not at the moment no, but I am to picker her up at the airport once I drop you off at home. We should be back in time for dinner."

Sherlock gave a small huff in approval. Mr. Wilson knew that Sherlock would never admit it, but Sherlock hated spending dinner alone, sometimes with or without Mycroft. Although when Mycroft was there he at least had some form of company, it always led to fighting.

"And Sherlock..." Mr. Wilson knew that Mrs. Holmes had wanted to surprise her sons, but after Sherlock ranted on their way home from his father's house about his girlfriends/housekeepers, Mr. Wilson thought it best that he gave Sherlock a little heads-up.

"Yes Mr. Wilson?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you this..." He loved making everything seem mysterious; he knew Sherlock loved it too. With him driving the Holmes family everyone, and picking up and dropping off guests, Mr. Wilson knew that he was Sherlock's main source of information. And Mr. Wilson loved being it every second.

"Yes..." Sherlock said leaning forwards, as if Mr. Wilson would speak too quiet, and the secret would be lost forever.

"But you're mother is bring home a...Guest with her, it's meant to be a surprise."

"And this guest would be?"

"A close friend of hers..."

"You mean...A boyfriend?"

Mr. Wilson could hear the dread in the boy's voice. He had grown fond of Sherlock, and it pained him to think that Sherlock thought that all his father's love for him had been a lie, and that he could never have that type of love ever again.

"I'm not sure Sherlock; all she told me was to tell Dina to prepare an extra room for a guest flying in with her."

"Then how did you know it was a 'he' and that they were 'close friends'?"

"Cause after she told me I hear her laugh and tell someone named 'Esteban' to 'stop it' while laughing."

"And how do you know he's the one who's coming with her? He could just be someone she met-"

"Cause after that she said "Esteban is Italian so tell Mrs. Marble to cook up a four course Italian meal with Tiramisu for dessert." Mr. Wilson tried to do his best impression of Mrs. Holmes, and in reward he made Sherlock giggle a little.

After laughing, Sherlock spoke in a more serious tone. "Do you think my mum likes this 'Esteban'?"

"It's hard to say Sherlock; he could just be a business partner."

Sherlock nodded and returned to looking out the window. The rest of the ride was quiet, until Sherlock suddenly yelled out "That's not fair! We were going to have pie for dessert! She can't do that!"

Mr. Wilson laughed, "I'll see what I can do Sherlock."


	15. The Guest

That night Sherlock lay on his bed bored out of his mind. Mrs. Marble had thrown out his bird and he still wasn't done experimenting with it yet. Sherlock laid on his stomach looking over his notes. From what he observed that there was twice as many kids at the second school he went to compared to the one he was going to now.

He also noticed that Davy Adams was getting more and more nervous. He was fine at school; he had friends, good grades and almost never got in trouble with the teacher. So that meant that something was happening at his home. His mother brought him to school and picked him up everyday like usual. His younger brother was like any other baby brothers, annoying and whiny. The only thing that stood out was that Davy never spoke about his father.

Theory (1) Davy's father died.

Theory (2) Davy's father left them.

Theory (3) Davy's father has a job that might require him to be away from home a lot.

Theory (4) Davy simply doesn't like his father.

Theory (5) Davy's father is abusive.

Need More Data before coming to final conclusion or eliminating other theories...

Sherlock sighed and rolled over, his mother was due home in about a half hour. Her plane was forced to land due to engine problems. As Sherlock looked around his room for something to cure his boredom, he saw a small rainbow on his wall.

He remembered something Mycroft told him about light reflecting off of objects. He noticed that on his bookshelf sat a crystal that had fallen from the chandelier when Mycroft had taken his beach ball that had a globe design on it. Mycroft kept tossing it up in the air and laughing saying what a baby Sherlock was. He accidentally threw it too high and it hit the chandelier causing a few of the crystal pieces to fall off.

When Mycroft left to find Mrs. Marble or Dina to clean up the mess, Sherlock was able to grab a piece and sneak it up to his room to study it.

Sherlock got off his bed and walked over to the bookshelf and picked the crystal. He brought it over to the window and waved it around and watched the rainbow to his command on the wall.

That's when he got an idea.

* * *

Mycroft was going to kill him.

He had told Sherlock to dress nicely for when their mother returned and to be down by the door to greet her and her 'surprise'. It wasn't hard to figure out mother had brought a person home with her. Who they were and why she brought them though, was still a mystery.

Mr. Wilson had just pulled up and Sherlock was nowhere to be found. Mycroft had about 4 minutes before his mother stepped through the doors and expected both of her sons to greet her. She obviously wanted to show them off for some reason.

3 minutes.

Mycroft had checked the kitchen, living room and was about to check the library. Sherlock would sometimes hide out in the library because it use to be his father's study and that no one would dare disturb the room. It was now covered in a layer of dust, but even still, it was one of the most marvelous rooms in the entire manor.

2 minutes.

Mycroft was desperate, he was now checking every closet, bathroom, and even in the under the sink. He was just about to give up when he passed the dinning room. About the dinning room table was a chandelier, it had been lowered and all the crystal's going around it were missing.

Mycroft then realized something.

Mycoft ran to the hallway that ran between the kitchen, living room and library. In the hall there were small chandeliers going along the ceiling. He looked up and he saw that he was right. A ladder was leaning against the wall and all the crystal's were missing from the chandelier.

"Mycroft! Sherlock! I'm home!" His mother's voice rang out. Mycroft cringed at the sound of her voice. He sighed and went to go meet her.

* * *

"Hello mother, how was your trip?" Mycroft asked as he walked towards the front door and took his mother's coat. "Oh fine, fine. Where's Sherlock?"

"I-...I'm not sure..." Mycroft all up muttered.

He heard his mother sigh, "Wilson, please go and fetch Sherlock."

Mycroft watched as Mr. Wilson went upstairs to fine his younger brother. "Now Mycroft, I'd like you to meet Esteban Ricardo." She said as a man stepped inside.

Esteban was in his mid-thirties, he had fine tan skin and was an inch taller than Mrs. Holmes. He had black curly hair and brown eyes. He looked Indian or at least from the Middle-Eastern. He was dressed in a black suit with a dark green turtleneck underneath.

Mycroft thought he looked more like a body guard.

"Mr. Ricardo will be staying with us for the next few days and I want you and your brother on your best behaviors. Am I clear?"

"Yes of course mother."

"Now Aithley, I'm sure they'll be no trouble at all. I most likely won't eve be around them during the majority of my trip."

"Ma'am." The three looked up to see a exasperated Wilson come down from the stairs. "Yes Wilson?" Mrs. Holmes asked.

"Young Master Sherlock is occupied with something at the moment and has informed me to tell you that his presences is not required."

Mrs. Holmes sighed and turned to Mycroft "Dear, could you please keep Mr. Ricardo entertained while I get your brother?"

"Oh no! It's fine Aithley, why don't I come with? You know, 'see him in his nature habitat'." Esteban said and began to laugh. Mrs. Holmes gave a small dry chuckle and led him and Mycroft upstairs towards Sherlock's room.

Mrs. Holmes stopped outside his door and knocked. "Sherlock Holmes! Come out here at once!"

"I'm busy!"

"Sherlock! We have a guest! Not stop being rude!"

"I'm busy!"

"If you don't come out of there I will come in!"

"I'm busy!"

Mrs. Holmes rolled her eyes and gave a angry huff. She opened the door and gasped.

"Sherlock Holmes! What on Earth are you doing!?"


	16. Why We Do What We Do

Hanging from strings attached by tape to Sherlock's ceiling was nearly all the crystals from around the house. Sherlock had taken down his curtains and placed each crystal so the light would hit it. Dancing all over his walls where tens of small miniature rainbows.

But the only thing Mrs. Holmes was looking at was the mess he made when setting up all the crystals. He had pieces of discarded tape all over the room, his bed a mess, his table and chair was tipped over and all his chemist stuff was all over the floor among the mess that was already there.

"Sherlock! Where did you get all those crystals?" Mrs. Holmes said with her hands crossed in front of her chest.

"From all over the house, I set them up so I know which ones belong in which part of the house. These ones are from the dining hall, these ones are from the hallway, these ones are from the guestrooms-"

"I want them put back immediately! Especially the ones from the Dining Hall and Guestrooms!"

"But- but mummy! I'm not finished them yet! I still have to-"

"Sherlock Holmes if all these crystals are not but back before bedtime tonight there will be no experiments for a week!"

Sherlock was furious; he had worked hard to set it up just right. The sun was in the perfect place so it was hitting the crystals just right. If he took them down now he would have to wait till tomorrow to do it, and it was suppose to rain tomorrow, so he would have to wait even longer! No, the only reason his mother was doing this was to impress her guest, who she was obviously sleeping with. The only reason she was even having Esteban sleep in the guestroom was because she didn't want to tell Mycroft and Sherlock yet about them.

"The only reason you want me to is cause of **HIM!**" Sherlock said as he pointed to Esteban, "If he wasn't here you wouldn't care! You would just tell Dina to have her bring up my dinner! You never even come into my room anymore! The last time you even step foot in here was two weeks ago! You don't-"

"YOU'RE GROUNDED!"

Everyone was silent.

Mycroft was stunned; he had never seen his mother yell like that. He assumed the only time she ever yelled was the night she found out about his father cheating on her. Nor had he ever seen his mother give a real punishment and carry on through with it. She would normally threaten Sherlock with a punishment and then mollycoddle him into doing whatever she wanted him to do.

Esteban was stunned, in the short time he knew Aithley he had never seen her yell before. It was quite obvious who the favorite was and who was the trouble child. Esteban couldn't say he quite pitied Sherlock. He understood why he was so upset, but he shouldn't have yelled at his mother. Esteban honestly just wanted Aithley and Sherlock to work it out, because he knew that if Sherlock would be punished, he would blame him for it.

Sherlock wanted to laugh; his mother was away from home so much that she wouldn't be able to tell what he did. She was obviously just putting on a show for Esteban to prove that she can manage her own household. His mother didn't really 'manage' if they were honest, but there wasn't any real trouble anyways so it didn't matter. Besides Mycroft picking on Sherlock from time to time, there was nothing to manage. Not anymore.

"No."

Mycroft and Esteban froze on spot; they knew this was not going to end well. Aithley raised her eyebrows, "No? Did you just tell me no!?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "You shouldn't repeat yourself mummy."

Aithley took a deep breath before speak. "Sherlock, for this week, no experiments, no going outside, no Tv, and no friends over. You will also not receive any dessert this week, and if I find out you have manipulated the servants to give you some, or to let you watch Tv or outside, then you can say good-bye to your chemist set. In fact..."

Mrs. Holmes walked over and gathered up the chemist set in her arms. "You can have it back at the end of this week."

Sherlock's eyes widen in horror, "No mummy! That's mine! You can't do that!" He ran over and tried pulling on the hem of his mother's clothes, but she did not even acknowledge him.

As Mummy left to put the chemist set away, Mycroft and Esteban made their way downstairs to the living room.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that, Sherlock has been difficult ever since father left." Mycroft said as he poured tea for the both of them.

"Yes, I image also the presence of another man in the house also had an affect on him. I hope you both understand that I don't want to replace your father. Your mother did inform me that you both still visit him and I don't wish to try and compete against him. I do admit, your mother is a very attractive woman, but I haven't made any advance to her. I came back with only the intentions of finishing up business with Aithley and to visit some of my own family."

Mycroft had to contain a chuckle, it was obvious from the moment Esteban stepped into their house that the had other 'intentions' as well. Esteban been eyeing up his mother and was practically drooling over her. It made sense that his mother would be interest in someone who adored her. Mrs. Holmes had felt that she disappointed her husband. That she had not been good enough for him. So it made sense that she would settle for some lesser businessman who only wanted her for her looks and money.

No, Mycroft had no worries about Esteban trying to replace his father.

"Yes, I understand, but Sherlock is young, and was in fact the first one to discover father's affair. I suspect he has lost all respect for older men."

"That's a shame, he looks like he's such a nice boy. Bit of a science nerdy isn't he? The way he nearly screamed when his mother picked up the chemist set! It actually looked like he cared more about the set than his own mother! I bet that if he had the right discipline, he would grow up to be a fine respectable young man."

Mycroft eyed Esteban, he didn't like where this conversation was headed. He hoped his mother would return soon, it was all becoming all too clear to Mycroft what would happen if Esteban DID become part of their 'family'. Mycroft didn't honestly think that his mother would seriously commit to Esteban or him to her. But Mycroft liked to be prepared for every possible outcome.

If Esteban did end up staying, Mycroft had no doubt that he and Sherlock would be shipped to some Boarding School, possibly one out of the country. Mycroft could handle being shipped away, he'd went to a private school far enough away where he had to stay at a dorm before, but Sherlock hadn't.

This past year Mrs. Holmes had been making many changes, trying to move on from the hurt that was left from her husband. She had Mycroft enrolled at a private school closer to home and tried to spend as much time as she could at home. But with her two jobs, both being her own thriving business, she barely had a moment to spare.

Sherlock was just getting use to his new school, he had even made a friend. Mycroft himself had seen the affects that John had on Sherlock. No, Mycroft would ensure that Sherlock stayed close to his new friend.

"I don't believe that's the problem Mr. Ricardo, I think-"

But before Mycroft could let Esteban know he really felt, his mother enter the room. She had obviously refreshed herself and had changed her clothes. It was amazing what a Holmes, even one who is married into the family, can do with a few spare moments.

"I'm terribly sorry Esteban, I honestly don't know what happened to Sherlock. I think it's all my time away that's had such an affect on him. I'm so glad that I've manage to get some time off. I think it will do us all some good." Mrs. Holmes said as he seated herself next to Mycroft.

"I'm sure that's the reason Aithley, I was just talking with Mycoft here about it. It can be hard on young children when they are in control for long periods of time. They start to think that they have rule over their own lives, which can led to them making horrible decisions. My father would not have tolerated it if I had acted in such a behavior."

Mycroft inwardly groaned, his mother and Esteban were so desperate they clearly didn't see how at odds they were. It pained Mycroft to see his mother let herself fall so far. She could do so much better.

Aithley Holmes wanted someone who would simply accept her and her children. Esteban Ricardo just wanted an attractive and wealthy woman. They both feed each others wants, but would they feed each others needs?

One of them would eventually come to their senses and move on. If it was his mother, Mycroft knew they would both move on quickly. But if it were Esteban, he feared his mother would seep into depression.


	17. The Many Encounters of Sherlock Holmes

Mr. Ricardo (or as Sherlock called him 'Mr Ricotta', the man ate it with everything!) stay went from a few days to a few weeks. The excuses was everything from he 'missed' his plane to him and Mrs. Holmes made plans that simply could not be canceled. And poor little John Watson was the one who had to put up with Sherlock complains (_How is it possible for one human to consume so much cheese!_)

Sherlock's punishment came and went, he was soon doing every experiment he could think of to make Esteban's trip as horrible as possible. During the time that Esteban stayed at the Holmes Manor, other then at meal time, Sherlock saw him a total of five times.

(1) A accidental run-in at the garden when Sherlock went to gather some samples.

(2) When Esteban tried to 'bond' with Sherlock by trying to watch a movie with him. Sherlock was surprised that Esteban last the fifteen minutes through the Nature Documentary. By twenty minutes Esteban feel asleep and Sherlock sneaked back upstairs to his room.

(3) When Esteban brought him to school. But that failed completely when Sherlock started giving him directions to park telling Esteban that his school was going on an 'outing'. Sherlock ended up getting to spend three hours at the park. By the third hour Sherlock started to get bored and told a cop that his parents forgot him. The officer was none too impressed when Mycroft answered the phone. It wasn't until after Mycroft told the cop that his mother was out with her new boyfriend that he realized when had happened.

(4) It was a hot Saturday and Sherlock decided to run an experiment that included frogs in the family pool. Unfortunately he decided to run this experiment the same time Esteban decided to go swimming.

(5) Sherlock bumped into Esteban just as he was leaving the bathroom. In Sherlock's defense he was actually trying to prank Mycroft, but fate decided to play a cruel trick when Esteban used Mycroft's shampoo that Sherlock had switched out with blue hair dye.

* * *

John pitied this 'Mr. Ricotta' bloke (It was the only name Sherlock used around him).

It was a Friday afternoon, John had finally gotten out of his wheelchair and was now using crunches. The school bell had let out a loud ring and all the kids were rushing to get out.

"Please John! We've been talking about plans another get-together! And you've already been to my house!"

Sherlock had been practically begging (exact, according to Sherlock, he never begged) to spend the night at John's house.

After the fight between Mrs. Watson and Mr. Watson things had been quite tense at the Watson's house. Mr. Watson was coming home later and later and drunker and drunker. Mrs. Watson was starting to worry about the influence this would have on Harry, but of course, would never voice her concerns.

Perhaps if he locked his bedroom door...John began think, but then he remembered when he tried that once. He learned two things that day, locking door only angered his father and one cannot life only on sweets that he hide in his room.

"I-I don't know..."

The first time Sherlock used what was know as 'Puppy eyes' or "Puppy Pout' was Christmas on Dina when he was asking her to let him stay up late. Mrs. Holmes had an 'unexpected emergency' that day and Mycroft was downstairs entertaining whatever family member decided to grace their family with their presences. Dina had fallen victim and let Sherlock stay up an hour later in his room.

Next Sherlock used it on his mother when he wanted a pet horse. Then Mrs. Marble and Mr. Wilson, were the next two to fall victim to Sherlock's little pout.

Mr. Anderson, the gardener, was the last person to become a victim. Sherlock used his his newly found power when he wanted a sample of mold. It worked to easy in Sherlock's opinion.

The only person who didn't fall for Sherlock's pout was Mycroft.

And now John.

As hard as Sherlock tried John didn't seem to change his mind in the slightest. This irritated Sherlock, but he had to admire John's will force.

"Alright then, since begging and pouting didn't work..."

Sherlock threw himself onto John and wrapped his arms around his waste.

"Wh- What are you doing!?" John said as he tried to pry Sherlock off of himself.

"I'm not letting go until you let me come over your house!"

"Sh- Sherlock I have to go! My mum is waiting for me!"

"I'm not letting go!"

"SHERLOCK!"

"JOHN!"

John growled and marched over towards the car with his mum. As he walked Sherlock trudged along him bent over.

* * *

When John first started school she always had a nagging fear that the other kids would treat John differently because of his brace. She would always remember the day when John first told her about Sherlock.

Penelope knew that as long as John had Sherlock by his side she had nothing to worry about. Over the past few weeks she realized just how inseparable the two had become.

Although that was true, she never imaged they'd become _this_ inseparable.

She watched as John came marching over with a bent over Sherlock clinging to his waste. It took all her strength not to laugh when she saw the scowl on John's face.

"Mum..." John said in a clearly annoyed voice. But behind the annoyances there was fondness behind it.

"Yes dear," She said, playing along.

"Can Sherlock spend the night at our house?"

As much as Mrs. Watson wanted to say no...She couldn't. It wasn't fair that John got to see Sherlock's personal life and he couldn't see John's. After hearing Sherlock's deductions the first time it wouldn't surprise her if Sherlock already knew about...Her husband.

Mrs. Watson gave a fake sigh, "I suppose he can..." she said with much added sarcasm.

Sherlock released John yelled over his shoulders that he was going to speak with Mr. Wilson. John turned and glared at his mother.

"Oh come on John, it won't be that bad. I'm sure you'll both have a great time!"

"Maybe...Is- It father home?"

This time Mrs. Watson gave a real sigh, "As far as I know he never returned last night."

John only nodded as he watched his friend come running back with a beaming smiling upon his face.

"Mr. Wilson is calling my mom to let her know where I am!" Sherlock exclaimed.

"Don't you need to ask her first?" said John as he opened the side door to let Sherlock into his family van. "She won't mind. Besides she probably too busy with Mr. Ricotta to even notice I'm gone!"

* * *

"Mrs. Holmes? Yes this Mr. Wilson."

...

"I'm at Sherlock's school right now."

...

"The problem is he never showed up. I just checked with his teacher, according to him Sherlock was in class and left along side with his friend John Watson."

...

"I haven't seen either of them."

...

"Yes ma'am, I'll call up Mrs. Watson as soon as I hung up."

...

"Good day Mrs. Holmes."


	18. Water Fights and Crisps

John's house was nowhere near as big as Sherlock's. John's house was an average two-story house with a staircase directly in front of the front door. The walls where a creamy whitish color expect in the living room where it was a light brown with a dark brown wall for an accent wall. The floors were wood expect for the kitchen where there was blue and white mixed colored tiles. The living room had a carpet that was red with different colored leaves and a green trim going around it.

There were four rooms altogether on the downstairs; the kitchen, the living-room, the dining room and a half-bathroom.

The upstairs had fours and two half rooms; two bedrooms, a master bedroom that had a bathroom and a study connected to it and bathroom in the hallway by the two other bedrooms.

There was also a guest bedroom and a laundry room in the basement, but since it was in the basement it was starting to get mold in it. Rather than for guests, John's father would send him in there if he had been 'bad' that day. The guestroom had a worn out old mattress with an old sheet that had holes in it. The rooms also contained an old mirror, but the mirror was covered in dust and could just barely show any reflects anymore. There was also a hard, rusty, metal fold-up chair in the corner the squeaked with moved.

When they arrived at the house, John took Sherlock directly up to his room.

"We should finish our homework first, then we can...I don't know...maybe we can go down to the creek!" John said as he threw his backpack on the floor of his room.

"Oh yeah, you told me you had one in your backyard." Said Sherlock, doing the same with his backpack.

"Yeah, but we have to walk a bit though, it's in the woods."

* * *

"Sherlock stop! You're getting me all wet!" John yelled, he and Sherlock were by the edge creek.

The 'creek' turned out to be no more than a small stream, but still, it had many different types of samples of specimens. There were three different types of mushrooms growing in one spot, there was also a spot were bugs were swimming and also some toads hopping about too.

John cupped his hands and splashed some water but at Sherlock. What started out as some small teasing turned into a full blown water fight.

The two finally decided to call it truces when they were both soaked.

* * *

Sherlock looked over to see John sitting on the ground taking off his socks and shoes to let them dry. He turned back around and climbed on a rock and spotted the toad he had been following.

"Sherlock!" John yelled from his spot on the ground, "Don't wonder off to far!"

Sherlock only have a slight nod and went back to the toad.

* * *

The walk back was an awkward one, both boys were soaked and their clothes clung to them and their shoes sloshed with water in them.

* * *

When John and Sherlock got back Penelope was waiting for them at the back door.

"Sherlock, do you have anything you want to explain?" She said when the two approached the door. Sherlock looked back at John, then back to his mother.

"Well, you see, I- I splashed John...It was only a little bit! But then he splashed me back and- and then we...I don't know, it just sorta happened-"

Mrs. Watson couldn't honestly care that the boys were drenched to the bone. When she saw the boys coming back from a far and noticed how wet they were, she also noticed how brightly John was smiling. If being soaking wet meant John was happy, then she wouldn't mind if he came home wet every day. What she did mind was Sherlock lying about talking with Mr. Wilson.

"Oh no dear! I'm not upset about that! I just got off the phone with Mr. Wilson; he said that you never asked about coming over here today."

John gasped, coming home soaked was one thing, but sneaking off to someone's house, he didn't even wanna imagine what kind of trouble Sherlock was in.

"I spoke with your mother Sherlock," Mrs. Watson continued, "You're still allowed to spend the night, but tomorrow you are to go home first thing in the morning. You should know better Sherlock; you gave your mother quite a scare."

* * *

"Why'd you do that Sherlock!?" John asked as they sat on John's bed.

"Just stop John..."

"Sherlock! What if somethin' was to happen to you? You're family would never know!"

"It doesn't matter! It's not like they would have cared!"

"Yeah huh they would have!"

Sherlock sat with his knees drawn up and cradled them between his arms and buried his head between them. John sighed; he took a blanket and placed it on top of Sherlock. "Come out when you're ready, I'm going to get some sneak then come back up here, okay?"

John didn't really give Sherlock a chance to say anything before he left. When John did come back he had two small bags of crisps and two apple juice boxes. He placed a bag and box next Sherlock, who was still under the blanket, and sat next to him and ate his own crisps.

"You should really have some crisps, there good."

Sherlock grabbed the edges of the blanket and lifted it so they lay on his head. "I- I guess I can try some...just a few maybe..."

"Sherlock, when was the last time you eat? Cause I saw you give your launch to the boy who didn't have any."

Sherlock hummed as he ate a few crisps, "The boy's name is Davy, he's dad died a few months back and now his family is going too evicted from their home."

"E- Evic-ted?"

"It means that their being kicked out and have to live somewhere else."

"Oh..."

"You're right John."

" 'bout what?"

"These crisps are good."


	19. Amazing You

"JOOOOOOHN! SHERLOOOOOOCK!"

The two boys snapped their heads up when they heard their names being called from Harry's room. Next they heard Mrs. Watson's footsteps coming up the stairs. "I told you we'd get in trouble!" John protested as they got off of his bed.

"They can't prove anything! Harry wasn't even in the house when we went in her room! Your mum was outside in the garden so she couldn't have seen or heard anything either!"

The two boys plus Mrs. Watson walked into Harry's room to see why she was causing such havoc. When the door was opened it revealed that Harry's room was covered in toads.

"Well don't just stand there you twits! You two were the ones who caused this mess; you two are the ones who are going to clean it up!" Harry yelled from her bed which she was standing on.

John and Sherlock dissolved into a fit of giggles. "Alright, c'mon you two, let's get this mess cleaned up before your father gets home."

At the mention of his father, John and Sherlock stopped giggling and quickly got to trying to catch the toads. Mrs. Watson was kind enough to provide a garbage bag for the boys to put the toads in once they caught them. After about 10 minutes they had caught 7 toads and still had about 5 more.

"Where did you even find them all?" Asked Harry who was standing by the door holding the bag for the boys.

"Down by the creek." John answered as he jumped to catch a toad.

"Ewwwwww!" The brother and sister heard Sherlock yell. "What? What is it?" John called over his shoulder as he leaped for another toad.

"One of the toads peed on me!"

"Don't you dare touch anything of mine!" Harry yelled from the door.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "The bag you are holding is probably filled with toads covered in their own pee. Trust me, my pee-covered hand aren't the worst of your problems."

Harry held the bag away from her as John put another toad in. "This is disgusting! I swear if either of you ever do anything like this again I'll make sure that every time Sherlock comes over that it will be the same night I invite my friends over as well, and we'll all hog the bathroom and make you go in the woods!"

Although Sherlock rolled his eyes, thinking that Harry was exaggerating, John took the threat _very _seriously.

* * *

After catching and releasing the toads (And washing their hands very thoroughly) the three of them helped Mrs. Watson set the table for dinner.

On their way home from school Mrs. Watson asked if Sherlock wanted to have Italian Chicken tonight. Sherlock's eyes widen in horror and asked if he could have something else.

Mrs. Watson suggested instead then if they have the stuffed Chicken that she had been planning for Sunday.

The table was set for five (Mrs. Watson wanted to be prepared in case her husband returned home) and they all sat down and eat happily.

They were almost done eating when the front door flew open and Mr. Watson stepped inside. "Penelope! Is dinner ready?" the man asked as he walked inside, staining the floor with his muddy boots.

"Yes dear, I'll get your plate ready." Mrs. Watson turned to the boys, "Sherlock, John, why don't you two go upstairs and get ready for bed. Harry, will you please stay and help me clear the table?"

They all agreed and the two boys took off upstairs. But before they reached the stairs they bumped into Mr. Watson.

"Who the hell is this!?" He asked why he saw Sherlock.

"F- father, this is my friend, Sherlock."

"Sherlock? What kind of name is that? Sounds like something that a salesperson would say. Bet ya came from a sales..."

John sighed as his father trailed off. "Yeah...Ummm...Me and Sherlock gotta go upstairs now, and ya know...get ready for bed..."

"Where's he sleeping?"

John swallowed hard, "In my room..."

"Why not the guestroom?"

John had been dreading this, "Father- you- you know the guestroom-...It's still- it's dirty right now and no one sleep in right now."

"So why didn't you clean it?"

"Hey John, I think we left your lava lamp on, we should go check on it!" Sherlock said before dragging John up the stairs. He could see that John was getting uncomfortable with the conversation with his father. He didn't know what this 'guestroom' was, and he had a feeling he didn't want to know.

* * *

"John, when's your birthday?" Sherlock asked as he pulled his night shirt over his head.

"July 7th, when is yours?"

"January 6th- John look out!"

John was struggling with putting on his bottoms and had accidentally stepped on one of the legs and tripped. John fell backwards and landed on his bum. "Are okay John?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, my bum just feels funny."

Sherlock helped his friend up, they were both sitting on John's bed when they heard yelling coming from downstairs.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?" Mr. Watson could be heard yelling.

"It was probably just the boys, I'll just go up there to make sure their ok-" Mrs. Watson said, the boys could hear her chair scrapping along the floor as she got up.

"Who is that Sherlock kid anyways?"

"John met him at school; they've been pretty close since then. I think it's nice-"

"I didn't ask for your opinion Penelope! I bet he's probably the Milkman's kid."

"Clint! You shouldn't say such things while there are children in the house!"

"And why the hell not? It's like they could screw up even more!"

"Clint!"

"He's an idiot." John snapped his head over to look over at his friend. "What?"

"Your father, if he honestly thinks that you're a screw-up than he's an idiot. I never thought anyone could be so idiotic that they could miss possibly one of the most clearest and simplest of things. Yet again John, your family proves me wrong."

"What did my father miss?"

"How amazing you are."


	20. The Misery of Being Home Sick

Sherlock sat with his bag next to him and with his arms crossed on his chest. He was doing what John had called 'The Pout".

"I'd get that scrawl off your face young man, having to go home early isn't nowhere near as bad of a punishment as what my old man would have given me if I was in your place."

"I was perfectly fine! The worst that happened was I got wet!"

"You still put everyone in a scare Sherlock. You can't keep doing this; this is the second time you've snuck off on your own. Wouldn't surprise me if one day your mum puts you on a leash." Said Mr. Wilson when he picked up Sherlock.

When the car stopped outside the Holmes Manor Sherlock flipped himself over so he was upside down. "Sherlock, c'mon, you're going to have to face your family sooner or later." Mr. Wilson said as he went around and picked up Sherlock's bag. Sherlock folded himself in half and pulled himself up. He could hear footsteps on the cement of the driveway.

"Mrs. Holmes sent me to escort Young Mr. Holmes up to her study." He heard Tobias Anderson say.

Sherlock rolled his eyes, Mr. Anderson's son, Peterson, went to school with Sherlock. In fact, Tobias was the one who recommended it to his mother.

Sherlock never really liked Anderson, he always yelled at Sherlock when he would go out and try and collect samples from the garden. They both had a mutual agreement to stay out of each other's way.

Sherlock walked allow side Anderson, neither of them saying a word.

* * *

"Sherlock Holmes you stupid boy!" Mrs. Holmes said as she embraced her son. Both Sherlock and Mycroft rolled their eyes. Their mother had a habit of having rather inconvenient mood swings, one moment she would be calm cool and collective, and the next she would be smothering her boys and fretting over them.

The reason it annoyed them both was because it happened so often that they could hardly tell the difference from when she was having one of her moods or when she really did feel concerned about them.

Mr. Ricardo was sitting on Mrs. Holmes settee sipping wine. Sherlock couldn't place it, but something had changed about the man. He seemed more irritated, but Sherlock couldn't tell if it was because of him or from something else.

_Ink on his right hand and his left ear is redder, as if something had been pressed up against it. _

_So he must have had a phone call and must have had to take a note. _

_He's legs are crossed and he's shaking his right foot, anxious about something._

_Keeps looking between mother and me, he is waiting till I leave to tell mother something._

_Mycroft looks put offs, (he always looks like that) he already knows or deduced it. _

"I was perfectly fine mother; I was with John the whole time."

"And what if something was to happen to you? We would have never known!"

"That's ridiculous! If something was to happen to me Mrs. Watson would have called you! Well, Mr. Wilson or Mycroft, but you'd hear either way!"

"Sherlock please, go to your room and wait for me there. Mr. Ricardo and I were about to discuss something before you came in."

Sherlock nodded and left the room, on his way out he and Mycroft locked eyes for a moment. The moment was all he needed, he knew what Mr. Ricardo was about to speak to his mother about. The only problem was he couldn't decide if he was glad or angry.

What Mr. Ricardo was about to say would distract his mother and she would soon forget about the whole incident. But it would also mean change was about to happen, and Sherlock was getting sick of changes.

* * *

About 20 minutes later Sherlock heard a knock on his bedroom door. "Come in Mycroft, I know it's you."

"I'm guessing you already deduced what going on."

"Let's see, it's something that's distracting mother, involves Mr. Ricardo, something about the phone call he made earlier, and it's something-"

"Their engaged."

* * *

The first night of the engagement the manor was quiet. Mr. Ricardo and Mrs. Holmes celebrated together with wine and music.

One the second night plans were made for Sherlock's Mémé and Pépé to fly down from France. Sherlock also founded out his mother had invited his aunt and cousins to send a couple of days at the Holmes manor.

One the third day Sherlock had invited John over to meet his Pépé. His Pépé took Sherlock and John down to an Ice Cream Parlor while the rest of the family talked about plans for the wedding and the Engagement Party Mrs. Holmes was hosting in a few days.

On the fourth day his Pépé had to stay in bed because he was too sick to leave his bed.

That day, Mrs. Holmes asked Mrs. Watson if Sherlock could spend that day at their house.

* * *

"Do you know what happened?" John asked as they sat on a large rock down by the creek.

John wore a simple red T-shirt with blue jeans while Sherlock had on black shorts with a white undershirt and a gray plain jumper over it.

"No, this morning when I came down for breakfast I asked my mum where Pépé was and she said that he was sick and I was to spend the day with you, nothing else. But it seemed that everyone else knew what was going on. Before I left I asked Mycroft, he just shook his head and told me that for once just do as I am told. I don't understand it!"

"What if- What if he's really sick...And you know..."

"No I don't! What!?"

"Has to go to the hospital..."

John's Grandmother had gotten really sick and to be taken to a hospital. Now if he wants to see her they have to go to what was called a Nursing Home. He asked Harry what a Nursing Home was; she said it was a place old people go to when they can't take care of themselves or a house anymore.

"No! No, Pépé was perfectly fine yesterday! What could have happened in just a few hours!?"

"I don't know...Maybe it's something contagious, so that's why you had to come here. I'm sure he'll be fine in a few days!"

* * *

"You should have let him stay." Mycroft said without looking up from his book. For the last few months Pépé had been very ill, they all knew how close Sherlock had been to the old man so his mother had decided to send him away while the doctor examined him.

"Mycroft, you know Sherlock would have reacted badly if he knew the truth. These past few years have been hard for him. This is the last thing he needs right now."

"What he needs is to know that someone loves him! He feels neglected! The least you could do is to let him be with the one person who still shows him love before he dies!"

"MYCROFT!" Mrs. Holmes took a deep breath before continuing. She understood that Mycroft felt it was his place to take change since his father was gone, but with the wedding, the party, her father, her family, and now Sherlock...She just needed someone who was going to help her take on all the pressure and exceptions. That's why she wanted to marry Esteban as soon as possible. No she wasn't going to try and rush it and marry him within the next few months, but sometime next summer would be nice.

"Look, we don't know if he's dying yet or not, and I don't need Sherlock freaking out just because Pépé got a little sick-"

"Will you stop sugar coating it! The man had a stroke! He's lucky to still be alive!"

The one thing Mycroft enjoyed between him and Sherlock was that they always shoot it straight with each other. Yes they would (sometimes) put it gently, put they never tried to cover up the truth with 'innocent' little white lies.

White lies were the worst kind.

Mycroft was given the duty was entertaining his cousins. They had four cousins staying at the Holmes Manor. His Aunt Imogene had two sons of her own, the twins Ronald and Harold. They always tried to play pranks on everyone and tried to steal Mycroft's dessert.

When his uncle Lawrence wasn't drunk, he was rather pleasant and told stories of all his trips. Lawrence and Elliot Holmes never got along, they always fought because Elliot thought him irresponsible taking his son with him on his journeys. Once Aithley was divorced she started spending more time with her brother and her brother less time with alcohol. Lawrence's son, Arthur, was quiet and shy. He never stood up for himself and was one of the few relatives Sherlock didn't hate.

Aithley Holmes had three siblings, Lawrence, Imogene and the youngest Wilbert.

Wilbert Collins had his own fortune in the restaurant business. Even though he was younger than Aithley she always looked up to him. He married a woman named Lucelia and they had a daughter around Mycroft's age, her name was Lilith.

The twins were in the kitchen the last Mycroft saw them, probably hitting on Dina, (Even though she was 16 and they were 12) and causing trouble for Mrs. Marbles.

Arthur was probably still in his room reading the book Mycroft gave him from the library... Over 5 hours ago.

And Lilith was probably still in the bathroom doing who knows what.

"Mycroft...go see to your cousins." Was all his mother said, he could tell she was tired and wanted a moment alone.

With his bad experience with his own father, Mycroft sometimes found it hard to relate with his mother. He wanted to stay by her side, be there and image what it would be like if it were his father in that position.

Mycroft nodded and left to find his cousins.


	21. How Mycroft Learned to Deduce

John and Sherlock were looking at a butterfly they caught inside of a jar in John's room. "Whoa, do you know what kind of butterfly it is?"

"It's a male Papilio machaon, or more commonly known as the Swallowtail, it's part of the Papilionidae family."

"Whoa...How do you know so much?" John asked as he peered at the butterfly through the glass.

"I got sick a few years back; Mrs. Marble didn't allow me to leaves the house for two days. So most of the time I stayed it in the library. That, and with all the stuff I learned from the books Mycroft brings back from his school, I've learned a lot of stuff."

*Knock, Knock*

"Who is it!?" John yelled towards the door. The door was opened by John's mother, "Just me boys! Your brother just called Sherlock; he said that your mother wants you to spend the night. Mr. Wilson is bringing you some clothes and should be here in a little bit."

"Okay, thank you Mrs. Watson."

"Please Sherlock, call me Penelope!"

* * *

"Why do you think you have to stay the night?" John said, they were outside about to release the butterfly.

"I don't know, do- do you think...Pépé-"

"I'm sure he's fine Sherlock!" John said trying to unscrew the lid on the jar.

"...John..."

"Yes Sherlock?"

"I'm scared..."

* * *

"What opinions do we have?" Asked Mycroft once he saw his mother come back down the stairs.

Mrs. Holmes had stopped long ago wondering how her boys knew everything. It was when Mycroft was five that she realized he had inherited his deduction skills from her father. When Aithley was a little girl she had always thought her father was normal, but it wasn't until her best friend nearly started crying when Aithley's father deduced that she was pregnant that she realized that her father was different.

Aithley remembered her friends complaining about how their parents always seemed to know what they were doing. What she soon found out that it was not normal for your parents to know you had for lunch, what someone said to you to make you upset, the exact amount of how much weight you gained, what restaurant a boy took you to, or the exact moment you fell asleep and woke up.

The memories of kids making fun of her because of her father still haunted her. They were also the reason she was afraid to let her boys go to public school. She knew that children in the upper class were practically trained to not get on a person's bad side, at least not as up front as lower class children. But when Sherlock kept getting kicked out of school, she had no other choice; it was either that or send him to a school in another country.

"The doctors say that Pépé is too ill to travel, and said we should think about letting him stay here. They also gave me a brochure for a Nursing Home. Mémé wants Pépé to come home with her, but the doctors are almost positive that it will not be possible."

"How much long does he have left?"

"Not much, but it could be days, weeks, if we're lucky a few months. But the doctor said he will not last the year."

* * *

_"Mycroft, dear what are you doing?"_

_"I'm packing Mummy!" Said a 5 year old Mycroft who was jumping on his suitcase which was overstuffed with toys and clothes._

_"Why baby? Are you planning on going on a trip?" Said Aithley, laughing as she took Mycroft in her arms. The young boy beamed as he looked up towards his mother._

_"No mummy! For our trip!"_

_"What trip?"_

_"Our trip to France to see Mémé and Pépé!"_

_Aithley Holmes was taken aback; she had just gotten off the phone with her husband. They had gone over the a few details of the trip and were planning around their schedules. How on earth did Mycroft know?_

_"Honey, did you listen in on Mummy phone call? You should know better dear-"_

_"No mummy! You!"_

_"Me?"_

_Aithley saw her son deeply inhale and- _

_"The back of your hair is all ruffed up; you always run your fingers through the back of hair when you talk to daddy. You also had your calendar out and a pen, so you were planning something. I saw you writing towards the end of the month, so you were planning ahead for something. This time of the year daddy likes to take you away on a holiday and leave me with Mrs. Marbles and Mr. Wilson. _

_But then you went over to the servant's calendar and wrote a line through the last week of the month, which means that they can take that week off. So that must mean we're all going away. I knew we were going to see Mémé and Pépé because last year at Christmas they said we should get together sometimes. Usual when people say that you give an excuse saying that you don't know when you can take time off, but when Mémé said we should visit them you agreed."_

_Aithley stared at her son with wide eyes."How- What-..."_

_"Pépé taught me how to do that last Christmas! Isn't wonderful mummy!"_

_Aithley gently placed her son on the ground, her hand almost automatically clasped over her mouth. "Mummy, what's wrong?" Mycroft asked with a puzzled expression._

_Why was acting like this? Wasn't what Pépé taught his a good thing? Did mummy not want him to know about the trip?_

_Aithley backed away until she bumped into someone. "Aithley? Dear what's wrong, you looked frightened?" Elliot, who had just gotten back from work, asked when he saw his wife as white as a sheet._

_"Mycroft- he- he just..."_

_Elliot looked over at his son, "Mycroft, do you know what happened?"_

_"I deduced Papa!" Mycroft said happily. _

_"Deduced? Whatever do you mean?" _

_Mycroft told his father everything which he told his mother. Needless to say Mr. and Mrs. Homes planned their trip much earlier than they had originally planned. Pépé Collins explained what he had taught Mycroft to his daughter and husband. Elliot Holmes was frightened of Mycroft for a whole week. He expected Mycroft to blurt things out every time he saw him._

_Aithley Holmes, on the other hand, was more accepting of her son's newly found gift. She remembered how people had reacted towards her father and vowed she would never let that happen to her son as well. But even with her past experience with deductions, nothing could prepare her for whenever Mycroft deduced something._

_Although Mr. Holmes, not so gently, asked Pépé not to teach Mycroft about deductions anymore, Mycroft's deduction powers grew more and more. There were many time when Mr. Holmes wanted to yell at his son, but could never find it in his heart t do it._

_By the time Mycroft was nearly eight years old, Mr. Holmes had a new perspective of his son's gift. Instead of being frightened of Mycroft, he thought that his son's gift made him more superior to everyone else. That made Mr. Holmes, because he was the one who raised Mycroft, more superior to everyone else. He knew that Mycroft would one day be a great man, so with all those exceptions, Elliot Holmes made it his personal job to make Mycroft Holmes the greatest man who ever lived._

_But he never took time to try and make him a good one. _


	22. Family Matters

"Oh Aithley, where is Sherlock? I haven't seen him other then when we first arrived, is he alright?" Aunt Imogene asked as she sipped her tea by the fireplace.

"With all that's been going on I thought it best he stay over at a friend's house until we can decide what to do with Pépé." Aithley quickly put her cup to her mouth, hoping her sister wouldn't ask any more questions.

"Oh, the poor dear, I know how much he adored Pépé, I hope this whole mess finishes soon. Sherlock would be crushed if he didn't get to say good-bye to Pépé."

Aithley felt her throat closing, she felt guilty. She knew her father didn't have much longer, not only would Sherlock be crushed, but Mycroft would never forgive her if she forced Sherlock away.

Her older brother Lawrence was to inherit their father's fortunes. Although each of the Collins children had their own fortunes, their father was wealthier then all of them combined. Aithley could practically see her brother numbering their father's days.

"I still can't believe how much money father made in the wine making business." Imogene said putting a cube of sugar in her tea.

"Please Imogene, not now."

"Oh Aithley, I know how you feel about talking father's money, but we have to sooner or later! Honestly, you'd think Lawrence would have a little more respect and at _least_ wait until father has passed until he tries to take over the business!"

"What do you mean wait? I thought he wasn't allowed to even touch the money until father died?"

"Well apparently father changed his will."

"He did WHAT!?"

"You did know? Father's wine business is going over to Lawrence, but his fortune is going to...Well..."

"Who!?"

"Half to Mycroft and half to Sherlock."

* * *

Sherlock had stayed three days in a row at John's house. Although he liked spending time away from his house, he grew more and more nervous each day. The last thing he heard was a day ago from Mycroft that Pépé was very ill.

That night Sherlock and John lay in bed together when John heard Sherlock sniffling.

"Sherlock, are you alright?"

Sherlock rolled over, he had tear stains all over his face and his nose was starting to run. "Oh Sherlock!" John pulled his friend into a hug. "J-John, w-what if P-Pépé...I DON'T WANT PÈPE TO DIE!" Sherlock buried his face in John's shoulder. John rubbed in a circle on Sherlock's back, just like Penelope had done when he first woke up after the car crash.

"What's going on in here?" Mrs. Watson had opened John's door and turned on the light.

"...Mummy..." John said in worried voice.

"Oh dear, Sherlock are you alright?" Mrs. Watson took a seat on the bed.

"My- Mycroft s-said my Pépé was r-really I-ill and- and..."

"Oh Sherlock, come here. You poor thing." Mrs. Watson took the small boy in her lap and hugged him. With one hand leaning his head towards her chest, with the other one she rubbed circles just like John had done. As she rubbed his back she spoke calm words into his ear.

"Shh...It's alright, just let out baby...hey, you're okay..." Mrs. Watson looked over to see John with tears threatening to fall. She stopped rubbing and opened an arm out to John. John scrambled over towards his mother and buried his head in the cook of his mother's arm. The three of them sat there until Sherlock had cried himself to sleep and John was beginning to drift off.

"M..Mum..."

"Shhhhh baby, it's late, go to sleep now."

Mrs. Watson watched as John crawled back over towards the pillow and burrowed under his blanket. She lifted up the blanket and placed Sherlock next to John. The two boys curled towards each other, searching for some form of warmth.

Sherlock used John left arm as a pillow as John's right one wrapped around him. Both of Sherlock's arms were curled together and in between the two of them trying to kept warmth. The two boys had their legs tangled together, trying to gather as much heat as possible.

"Mummy..."

"Yes honey?"

"It's cold."

"Go to sleep dear." Mrs. Watson left the room and went and grabbed the blanket off her bed and wrapped the two boys up in it. Mrs. Watson left like crying when she saw John shiver a bit. She had yet to tell her children, they had used up all their oil and it would be another week before they had more. Of course Mrs. Watson could always call the oil company and order more, but it would cost more money, money they didn't have.

For the past three nights Mr. Watson hadn't been home at night, so she wouldn't have to worry about him getting mad about giving the boys their blanket. Harry had been kind enough not to complain about how cold the house was, but Mrs. Watson knew it was only a matter of time before her daughter grew suspicious.

As Mrs. Watson laid down on her bed her slept underneath her sheet. It wasn't enough to keep her warm, but it was something. She looked over at the clock next to her; the alarm was set for 6 a.m. She made sure she had enough time to wake Harry up; make sure she got on the bus and to get the boys up and ready. Mrs. Watson had planned to get another hour or so of sleep before going to work. She was doing an extra shift tomorrow and would be home late. But she remembered they were out of milk and eggs, and tomorrow was Thursday, the one day out of the week she knew she husband would be home.

Mrs. Watson smiled to herself once she remembered that this week her boss had given her Friday and Saturday off. She thought of two ways she could spend them, on Friday she would spend the whole day at home and sleeping in. On Saturday she would take her kids (And Sherlock, if he was still staying at their house) out. Maybe to the zoo? Or perhaps the park? Or Ice cream and then the park?

She would figure that park out later, right now though, she drifted off to sleep.


	23. The Announcement

Mycroft sighed, he had already deduced what his mother was going to say, but unfortunately the rest of his family wasn't as clever and was 'buzzing' with excitement.

That morning at breakfast, Aithley Holmes had asked the family to meet up in the drawing room for a 'special announcement'. While the rest of the family was busy creating and coming up with their own theories, Mycroft could tell by the way his mother's robe was tied, how her messily hair was done, and by her by her smell what she was going to announce.

"You're being extra quiet Mycroft, perhaps you already know what your mother is going to announce and is keeping it from us?" said Ronald.

"It's quite obvious actually, with all the recent events and such. I'm surprised none of you lot have figured it out yet." Replied Mycroft.

The drawing room doors were opened and everyone turned their heads to see Aithley and Esteban walk in. "Everyone, as you all know Pépé has not been well and will not make it to see the next year. It was my wish for him to be there on my wedding. So, I and Esteban have spoken with Pépé and we've decided to get married next week!"

Everyone gasped; most gasps were some followed by beaming smiles. While others, Mycroft's and Aunt Imogene's froze in shock.

"Now, now everybody! Esteban had already set a date and rented out a small church for next year. So because we cannot change that we're going to have a small wedding next week and a larger wedding with a reception next spring! So please, don't go rushing off trying to buy last minute..."

Mycroft didn't stay to listen; he got up and excited the room. He was soon followed by Aunt Imogene, who was having the same thought.

"Mycroft wait!" Imogene yelled as she chased after him.

"I'm sorry Aunt Imogene, but there's somewhere I need to be."

"I know, I'll drive you. Your mother will probably want Mr. Wilson to take her and rest of the family out to celebrate."

* * *

Sherlock and John had just finished breakfast and were grabbing their backpacks, about to leave for school. Sherlock had stayed a full week at the Watson, and Mrs. Watson was annoyed. Not at Sherlock, he was like a brother to John and another son to Penelope. No, she was annoyed at Sherlock's family. Other than to drop off more clothes, they had next to no contact. Mrs. Watson was worried that the next black car to pull up would drop off Sherlock's bed, toys, and adoption papers.

The boys had just gotten their backpacks on when there was a knock on the doors. "I'll get it." Harry said and went to open the door.

"Hello, can I help you?" Harry said, not opening the door fully. Harry had not met Mycroft yet, for Mr. Wilson was usual the one to drop Sherlock's things off.

"I'm Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock's brother; I need to speak with him."

"Hold on," Harry turned and yelled for her mother. Mrs. Watson rushed over to the door, "Before I let you talk with Sherlock I want to know what's going on. Your family just dumped him at our house for a week with no other explanation other than that your grandfather is ill."

Mycroft nodded, "I understand, if you would let me come in I'll explain everything to you."

Mrs. Watson nodded and led Mycroft and the woman who had just walked up behind him. "Allow me to introduce Mrs. Watson. Mrs. Watson, this is my Aunt Imogene, she and her family have been staying at our house."

Once Mrs. Watson, Mycroft and Imogene were all seated Mycroft explained the situation to Penelope. Mrs. Watson mostly nodded, she understood the pressures of being a single-parent, but that still didn't excuse Mrs. Holmes for taking care of her responsibilities so poorly.

"And I'm guessing you're here to tell Sherlock he's getting a new father in a week then." Mrs. Watson said once Mycroft finished.

"Yes, although I admit to knowing my mother wanted to get married as soon as possible without trying to 'rush it', I was stunned to find she had moved it to next week. I do not blame her for moving it, but still, she has been engaged for less than two weeks and now she's getting married, and to a man who she has been officially together with for less than 6 months. I image they have know each other less than a year or two."

Mrs. Watson blinked in shock, she believed in love at first sight and all, but this was ridicules. How much did Mrs. Holmes really know about this...what was it? Mr. Ricardo? (She had only heard Sherlock say his actual name once) Had Mrs. Holmes even asked her sons how they felt about him? It was obvious Sherlock didn't like him, but what about Mycroft?

And from what Sherlock had said his mother worked so much he barely ever saw her. What would happen after the honeymoon phase was over? How would Mr. Ricardo feel about Mrs. Holmes after a week or so of barely seeing her because of work?

"Might I ask how you feel about all this Mycroft?" Penelope asked curiously, she had a feeling Mycroft's opinion was rarely asked for. Her suspicion was confirmed when Mycroft's eyes widen with surprise.

"Me? Personal I think my whole family is being rather rash and ignorant. My uncle Laurence's own marriage is a perfect example of how rash decisions can ruin your life. My mother knows this yet she is so desperate, not to get married but to have someone to 'share the load', that she is willing to throw herself at the first man she met."

Mrs. Watson smiled, although she might now agree with 'throwing herself at the first man she met' part, Mycroft was certain bright young lad. Mycroft was still a boy, only 17 years old, he was bound to make mistakes and misjudge people.

Although, this time, Mrs. Watson thought he pretty much nailed it.

"Sherlock, please come here for a moment." Mrs. Watson called. Penelope had to hold back a smirk when she saw Mycroft's jaw drop when Sherlock came obediently to her call. "_Yeah, maybe he would listen to you to if you would spend more than 5 seconds a day with him!_" She thought, and by the look on Aunt Imogene's face, she was thinking the same thing.

* * *

After Penelope Watson left Sherlock took her place on the sofa. "Mycroft, have you come to pick me up?"

"Your senses must have dulled brother, deduce it for yourself."

Both of the boys were quiet and only stared at each other. Imogene grew more and more anxious when either boy spoke. After what felt like an eternity to Imogene, but in reality was only a few minutes, Sherlock spoke.

"Mother's getting married."

"Yes, you already knew that. I, personally, think she's been planning-"

"No," Sherlock interrupted, "She's getting married sooner, what next month? Within the next few weeks?"

Mycroft sighed, "Next week."

Sherlock noticeably deflated; as much as Mycroft tried, he could not ignore the tears forming in Sherlock's eyes. It was at this moment when Mycroft realized what living with the Watson's had done to Sherlock. Never in Mycroft's life had he ever thought that Sherlock would ever dare cry in front of him. Crying was weakness in Sherlock's eyes, and for a 7 year old boy, he was very good about not appearing weak in anyone's eyes.

"My, w-what are we going to do?"

Mycroft crumpled; it felt like ages since Sherlock used his nickname. He walked over and took Sherlock in his arms; he tried to cherish the moment. He knew that this could very well be the last time he and Sherlock would ever be this close.


	24. The Wedding

_**A/N: Hey everyone! Okay so, I know I've had some grammar problems in the past, but none to fear! 1) I have gone though all the old chapters and fixed them best to my ability. 2) I have gotten a beta! (Her name is Zellona, she's pretty awesome and amazing.)**_  


* * *

"Hi John!"

The boy looked over to see Cathy walking towards their table, "Hi Cathy. Sherlock's not here today; his family is practicing the wedding."

Cathy looked puzzled, "Why do they need to practice a wedding?"

John shrugged, "Sherlock said it's called a rehearsal, it's when you practice something."

Cathy thought for a moment, "You mean like football or practicing being a Ballerina?"

John shook his head, "No, he said it was for things like shows or concerts."

Cathy smiles brightly, "Like the one were having?"

John's eyes widen, he had completely forgot about the concert. Mr. Matthews said they would be learning a new song today! If Sherlock didn't learn the new song he wouldn't be able to sing during the concert! John remembered how excited Sherlock had been when he found out they were having a concert. Sherlock had even said that Mr. Matthews was going to let him play his violin.

John got up from his seat and run to the front desk where Mr. Matthews was taking attendance, "Mr. Matthews, are we learning that new song today?"

Mr. Matthews looked up from his papers and smiled, "Yup! We're going to be learning a song by the Beatles!"

"But we can't! Sherlock's not here today so he won't know it for the concert!"

Mr. Matthews gave John a soft smile, "Don't worry John; we'll be going over it for the next couple of weeks before we have our school's concert. Sherlock's family called me and told me he would be back in school day after tomorrow, so he'll have plenty of time to learn our new song!"

Satisfied, John nodded and left to go back to his table with Cathy.

"Alright Students, everyone seems to be here! Since we're going to be leaning our new song today there's going to be a small change in our schedule. Let's go over today's schedule and then we'll begin."

* * *

"Sherlock, hold still!" Mycroft said for what left like the hundredth time. Their mother wanted a full dress rehearsal, so everyone had to get in their clothes. The only person who didn't have to get fully dressed was their mother. Since the wedding was planned last minute, they couldn't get everyone dresses and tuxes. Sherlock and Mycroft had to where their Christmas suits, while their mother, since one of her jobs happened to be designing clothes, got a real wedding dress.

It was a simple and plain dress, with a sweetheart top and a mermaid fin bottom.

Aunt Imogene was to be the maid of honor and Uncle Wilbert was the best man. The flower girl, and the only young girl in the family, was Lilith.

No matter what Mycroft tried, Sherlock's bow tie didn't seem to want to stay straight. "This is stupid! Why do they need someone to hold the rings anyways! Can't they just put them on a stool or something?"

Mycroft groaned, "As much as I am against mother's rushed marriage, this is a very important day for her. Please, please try and behave?"

Sherlock raised an eyebrow, "And what will I get out of it?"

Mycroft looked Sherlock dead in the eye, "I'll let you experiment with some of my old textbooks?"

"Really?" Sherlock asked unbelievingly

Mycroft sighed, "I'll let you do whatever you wish with them. But only the ones I give you! If I find out you did ANYTHING to the ones I need for school you can say good-bye to those mold samples you've collected."

"All right everyone! Gather around!" called out Aithley, "Okay, Esteban will already be up on the stage, Wilbert and Imogene, you two will walk down together, after them is Sherlock and Lilith- Yes Sherlock, you two have to link arms-. No! Not like that Sherlock, hold your arm out, no like this. Yes, now Lilith will hold your- No Sherlock- Yes, like that. Now- Sherlock who did your tie! It's completely crooked!"

* * *

"John! Sherlock's here!" Mrs. Watson yelled up the stairs from the front door. Penelope was worried; she knew the wedding was today and thought that maybe Sherlock was trying to ditch it.

Not that she would blame him.

"Hey 'Lock! What are you doing here?"

"My mom said if I behaved yesterday at rehearsal I could invite someone to the wedding. So do you think you could come?"

"I don't know, I still got homework-"

John was cut off when Sherlock bent over and threw himself around John's waist. "Oh! Not this again!"

"I'm not letting go till you promise to come with me! I can't stand them! Everyone being all mushy and weird! I'll go nuts if you don't come!"

Mrs. Watson walked in to see the familiar sight. She sighed, "Alright, what does Sherlock want you to do this time?"

"He wants me to go to the wedding with him."

Mrs. Watson smiled fondly, "That sounds like a wonderful idea! What time is the wedding and what time does it go till?"

"It's starts at 3:30; I'm not sure when it ends, but afterwards we're going out to eat. Mycroft will make sure we're back before it gets late! I'll have Mycroft make sure he gets home and everything!"

"Alright," Mrs. Watson said as she ruffed Sherlock's hair. "But I have a better idea: why doesn't John spend the night? It's the weekend so his homework isn't due till Monday."

"Yay!" Sherlock said as he released John.

* * *

Mrs. Watson was washing the dishes when she heard the front door open. The hard metal boots made loud thumps on the hardwood as Clint walked though the house. "Evening love," he said as he wrapped his arms around Penelope's waist.

"Hello darling, how was work?"

"Fine. Did the oil man come today?"

"Yes, the man came and left; he said that we should be receiving the bill in a few days or so."

Clint made a humming sound as he kissed his wife's shoulder, "What did you make for dinner?"

"Pork Chops, if that's what you want."

Clint buried his face in the crook of his wife's neck, "It's fine, I'm starved. Want me to help set the table?"

"Yes, that would be a big help. Harry's with Clara and John's over at Sherlock's, his mother is getting married."

"Ah, so it will just be you and me tonight?"

"Yes, just you and me."


	25. Moments We Treasure

Mrs. and Mr. Watson lay curled up on their couch watching a movie. They had a blanket covering them and the lights were turned off. With the oil tank filled, the house became warm again. On the coffee table in front of them their plates lay covered with the scraps of food.  
Penelope's head lay on her husband's chest, their feet entangled and Clint's hand carding through her auburn hair.

"When's Harry due home?" Clint asked as the credits started playing. Penelope looked up at the clock on the wall."In about a half an hour, Clara's mom said she'd bring her home."

Clint only nodded, "And John?"

"Spending the night at Sherlock's."

Clint nodded again. "Come on, let's go to bed love."

* * *

_Penelope Mills walked down the grocery aisle looking for her usual cereal. She gave a weary sigh; they had moved the aisles around again. She hated it when they moved everything around, what was once the cereal aisle was now the soup aisle. __After searching for couple of minutes she found the correct aisle. __"I swear they do this to me on purpose!" She said out loud to herself._

_"It seems that way doesn't it!" said a man's voice from behind. __Penelope turned around to see a man looking at the kid's cereal next to her, "It's a lot worse when you have kids with you. Trust me, once I was looking for the aisle with the cleaning fluids and ended up on the candy aisle. Took me a full ten minutes till I was finally able to drag my kids away from the chocolate bars." _

_Penelope gave a small laugh, "I can imagine! Same thing happened with me and my niece!"_

_The man gave a pleasant laugh, "Got any kids of your own?"_

_"No, just a niece and a nephew."_

_"Oh, I got two of my own, a boy and girl, one's five the other is thirteenth, and I swear they come from two different worlds! They're quite a handful!"_

_"Do they get along?"_

_"They have their moments, but usually they're off on their own. John, he's five, mostly just plays alone is his room. I'm worried, but he's starting preschool next year so hopefully that will help."_

_"And your daughter?"_

_"Harriet, she's a tomboy, so I guess that helps her relate more to John, but she sees herself as the one in charge and the boss of him." The man laughed fondly, "I still remember on time when I came home from work to find John coloring in a coloring book on the floor with Harry's feet resting on his back!" _

_The two laughed together merrily. Penelope had to admit, it had been quite some time since had a good laugh, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be babbling on and on about my family to a total stranger; you've probably got things to do-"_

_"No, no! It's fine, actually my entire week is clear! I just moved into town and I don't start work till next week! I just moved here from Devon, I'm staying with my sister till I can find my own place. That's sorta why I'm here, I was bored to tears at home and practically begged her for something to do!"_

_"Why'd ya move? Oh, I'm Clint by the way." Clint had blonde hair and blue eyes, he was quite broad and was strongly built. Just by looking at him you could tell he had some kind of hard laboring job like a constructive worker or a fireman or perhaps a policeman? Penelope got a better feel of his calloused hands as they shook._

_"Penelope, well her husband just died and, well, I didn't want to leave her alone. Jack made her so happy, she was crushed when she woke up and found out Jack didn't make it. Oh sorry, they were in a terrible car crash; my sister was lucky and was only out for a few hours. Jack, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky and was killed on impacted."_

_"I completely understand, I lost my Clara five years ago; I still can't believe she's gone. We were so excited, she was practically glowing when she found out she was pregnant with a boy," Clint said sadly; the poor man looked completely crushed. Penelope's motherly instincts took over and it took all her will power not to pull the man into her arms and comfort him._

_"Oh you poor thing. Was she young?"_

_"Yes, she had just turned twenty-four. We married young, both her parents were dead and my father had gambled all his money away, my mother left when I was only a child. We wanted to start anew, so we ran away to London together, got married, and started a family. It wasn't until Harry was born when we realized all the issues we were going to face. So we decided not to have any more kids till we were more stable."_

_Penelope smiled sweetly at Clint, "Well, you two sounded like you were both really in love."_

_"Yeah, we were. Look, I've already taken up so much of your time; at least let me buy you a drink."_

_Penelope smiled a little brighter, "I would like that very much Clint."_

_"Please, it would be my pleasure."_

* * *

Harry and Clara sat on the floor of Clara's bedroom painting their nails. When the two girls would get together, they would mostly talk about the normal things: parties, the latest gossip at school, and their celebrity crushes. But one thing that Harry began to notice was that neither of them ever talked about boys. Sure, they would talk about actors and male singers or gossip about boys. But they would never talk about boys they liked.

"Okay, so I was talking with Kimberly today, and she said that there was a secret party at Melissa's place this weekend. It's open-invite so you can only go if you know someone who is already going!"

"Whoa...We should totally go!" Harry said, nearly messing up the middle finger on her right hand. Harry, unlike her brother, was right-handed, so painting with her left hand was quite hard.

"Yeah, only one problem: it's at Melissa's place, and you know what that means."

Harry groaned, "It means two things, actually. It means Derrick will be there, and he'll probably end up inviting some geek over to make fun of him." Harry sighed, "He is so immature."

"Oh okay, I can't believe I forgot to tell you this but...Nadia Carlson got tickets to see Abba!"

"WHAT!? I thought they were sold out!"

"So did I! And from what Betty said, she has one extra ticket! The rumor going around is that she was going to take Jesse but-"

"But what? Oh my gosh, did they break up? Again?"

"Yeah, but it's 'cause apparently Jesse likes someone else."

"Who? It's Margret isn't it? I knew that little witch was trying to impress someone that time when she-"

"It's you."

Harry's head snapped up to look Clara dead in the eye, "Me?"

"Yeah, Betty said that Jessie keeps watching you in class and stuff. She said that she saw him even follow you to your locker once!"

"Really? I never saw anything!"

"Yeah, so, what ya' gonna do?" Clara asked as she began putting the nail polish away. "I don't know, I've been in a situation before. Guys aren't usually interested in me," Harry said as she looked at her dark green finger nails, "I suppose I should at least talk to him; it could just be some rumor Betty heard."

"Yeah, I suppose. But do you like him?" Clara asked as she moved from the floor to her bed.

"I- I don't know, I never really thought about him much. I suppose not."

"Hmmmm, well then maybe you shouldn't talk to him. Ya know, and it would be like a movie, you know where like the guy keeps admiring the girl from afar."

Harry laughed, "Yeah, now all I need is some cheesy love song and title." Harry stood up and plopped down on the bed. The two girls stretched out next to each other.

Harry looked over at her friend, she laughed when she saw that Clara had already fallen asleep. Harry had always wondered why she and Clara were friends; they were both so different. Clara liked dresses, singing, and pink, while Harry liked tees and jeans, dancing and green or black. Clara reminded Harry a lot of her mother. Heck, they both shared the same name! Maybe it was because Clara looked over Harry like a mother, or perhaps it was a whole 'opposites attract' thing. But whatever it was, Harry was glad she had Clara.

* * *

John and Sherlock hid underneath one of the tables at the restaurant. Mrs. Holmes had rented out a whole side room for the celebration and there were plenty of extra tables in the rooms.

"How long do think it will take Mycroft to notice we're gone?" asked John as he shifted from a crouching position to sitting on his legs.

"Wait...5...4...3...2...1...-"  
They both heard someone (Mycroft) sigh heavily and then say, "Mother, where are Sherlock and John?"

"I don't know dear. I thought you were looking after them?"

"No! Why would I- never mind, I'll find them."  
The two boys cupped their hands over their mouths as they giggled. John peeked his head out from the tablecloth to see if Mycroft has spotted them yet. As he did he felt someone pull on his shirt, "No John! He'll see you!"

But it was too late; Mycroft spotted the boy and was now walking over towards their table, "Just once, could you two behave like grown ups?!"

The two boys giggled from under the table, still covered by the tablecloth. "I wouldn't hold out too much for hope!" John called out, which only made the boy's giggles turn into real laughter. The laughter soon caught the attention of the guests from the main table. Ronald and Harold were the first notice; next Lilith and Arthur were looking over towards the small two-person table in the corner. So nearly everyone at the main table was looking over to the small table Mycroft was standing next to. Aithley glared at her son to fix the situation.

"Sherlock Holmes, either you come out or I'm coming in!"

"Oh please, My! You're too fat! You wouldn't fit!"  
Mycroft heard snickers coming from the main table and turned to see everyone looking at him, and Ronald and Harold snickering to themselves.

"Sherlock, you come out or I'll- I'll I'll-"

"You'll what? Sit on me?"  
This caused even a few of the adults to laugh, but a quick death glare from Aithley hushed them.

"Sherlock, come out or I'll see to it you won't do any experiments for two weeks!"

"You can't do that! I'm going to dad's next week. You can't do anything to me there!" Sherlock yelled out.

" 'Lock, maybe you should stop now..." John whispered to Sherlock. The boy looked questionably at his friend, that's when he realized that most of the adults at the main table were having a hard time controlling their laughter. Sherlock peeked out to see that his mother had now come over.

"Mycroft, take Sherlock and John home, we'll sort this out later. Sherlock, I don't want to hear one word from you. I am very disappointed with both of you. Am I understood?"

"Yes Ma'am."


End file.
